Dear Child
by JamesPotterwasntaseeker
Summary: Hermione felt her time was running the closer she got to thirty. She thought she would have been married and on her way to having a family, but she was nowhere close to that goal. So one little advertisement in the Daily Prophet would change her life.
1. Off to the Races

**Dear Child**

**Chapter One**

**Off to the Races**

* * *

><p>Hermione Granger, twenty-nine and three quarters going on forty, or at least that's how she felt. She had always felt older than she really was, but this time it left her in a panic. It had been years since the war ended and since her brief relationship with Ron that ended mutually.<p>

And in those years, she had remained a close friend to him through all of his relationships. She was always his voice of reason, or so he liked to tell her when he was intoxicated. Hermione loved Ron. And it took that kiss in the middle of war and a few dates after the war to realize that they were better off as friends. Ron had agreed. Hermione supposed it was because they worked so much better at a friend-level than at anything more.

Over the years Hermione had gone on several dates with co-workers as well as old Hogwarts classmates, but sadly she never felt that _click_. That magical click you feel with someone when you truly bond; truly get one another. She never felt it once, but she didn't let it bother her. She had plenty of time to find that one person that would metaphorically sweep her off her feet.

But now that she was looking age thirty in the face she couldn't help but feel that panic. The panic that set of sirens in your head and screamed at you, "Your time is running out". And Hermione knew that scientifically her time wasn't running out, but she couldn't help but feel that way. Maybe it was all the announcements in the _Daily Prophet_ of her former classmates settling down. Maybe that's what put her mind in a tizzy.

Because she wasn't one to panic over something she didn't have any power over. If Fate was indeed real, then Fate would let the man show up when he must, not when she wanted. That was how it worked. She tried to keep a sensible head about these things, but she threw that out the window when Ginny and Harry announced that they were expecting their first child.

A child.

Something that Hermione had always thought about when she started planning her life out. She wanted to be a mother. And she was jealous of the stability that Ginny and Harry had. And jealousy wasn't something that she liked attached to her name. The only other time she really could compare to the jealousy she felt now was when Lavender Brown was snogging Ron during the after party in sixth year. It didn't mean that she wasn't happy that Ginny and Harry were living a life that she wanted. She knew that Harry deserved it after everything he had been through.

But didn't she deserve to be happy as well? Didn't she deserve to have a family and be surrounded by the people she loved most? She knew she did and she didn't know why she was so obsessed with the idea of being married and having a family. Maybe it was that damn invisible clock that was ticking away over her head that kept telling her that her time was running out.

Hermione wanted to shoot the bloody clock.

"'Mione, did you hear anything I just said?" Ron asked exasperated.

"What?" She said looking around. "No, I'm so sorry Ron! What did you say?"

The redhead crossed his long arms and scowled at her. "I thought you were the one who paid attention?"

"I'm sorry Ronald. My mind seems to be somewhere else today. What did you say? I promise I'm paying attention this time," she said reaching over the small café table and took his hand in hers and giving him a genuine smile.

Ron's gave her a look before the scowl he wore slid from his face. He sighed and uncrossed his arms.

"What I was saying was that Harry and Ginny want us to come over for a celebratory dinner tonight. They said that they wanted to ask us something."

Hermione nodded. "Ron, can I ask you something?" Hermione inquired hesitantly.

"Sure, Hermione. You can ask me anything, you know that," his blue eyes were honest and caring as he looked at her.

That's what Hermione loved about Ron. She could tell anything he was thinking or feeling through his eyes. It seemed what they said was true, the eyes were the windows to the soul, at least with Ron it was.

Hermione gave him a quick smile before she plowed on. "Do you ever feel like you're running out of time? That if you don't settle down right now you miss all the things you want in life?" She asked in quick succession.

Ron looked at her for a moment before he looked away seemingly lost in thought.

"Sometimes, yeah," he finally answered.

Hermione gave a sigh of relief. "I thought I was insane for feeling this way. I'm almost thirty and I feel like if I don't settle down now that I'll be alone for the rest of my life, which is crazy talk! I'm still young. I still have time. And I'm so happy for Gin and Harry, but I just want the same thing, you know?"

"Yeah, I want that too, but we have time. You won't be alone for the rest of your life and neither will I. We just haven't found the right people yet."

"I know, I know," she sighed. "I've just been thinking about this a lot and I think I'm driving myself crazy. That's all."

"Well, relax. Just let things happen. That's all you really can do."

Hermione gave Ron a bright smile. Sometimes Ron had his insightful moments and times like these when she was driving herself crazy with thoughts about babies and a nameless, faceless husband, she needed to hear the little things from someone who cares.

"Thanks Ron, I really needed to hear that."

"You're welcome 'Mione. So I'll see you at Harry and Gin's later?"

"Of course."

Ron got up from the table and gave her one last smile before walking back to the Ministry.

Hermione sat there for a moment longer before she got up and headed back to the Ministry as well.

**~-O-~**

Hermione looked at herself in the mirror in her bedroom. She sighed at her reflection. Hermione knew she was pretty, but not in the way that most people thought women her age were. Her face was bare of make-up today. Usually when she went to work she put on the minimal amount (mascara, light eyeliner, and lip gloss). Her hair, less frizzy than her Hogwarts days, hung around her shoulders. She looked…normal, almost _plain_.

No wonder no one wanted her. Hermione turned from the mirror and continued to get dressed. She had to be at Harry and Ginny's in ten minutes. She shrugged off her morose thoughts and apparated to their house.

"Hello?" She called out.

"We're in the kitchen!" Ginny answered.

Hermione walked the familiar tread down the stairs and into the kitchen. Ginny was standing over the stove with her back to Hermione. Harry was nowhere to be seen.

"Do you need any help?" Hermione asked as she neared the redhead.

"Oh, no! I'm fine. I'm just finishing up," she said giving her a smile over her shoulder.

Hermione sat down at the long wooden table and waited for Ginny to finish.

"Where's Harry?"

"He and Ron are upstairs doing something. Merlin knows what honestly," she said sitting down on the bench next to Hermione.

Hermione gave her a smile. Ron and Harry were always up to something. "And how are you feeling?"

"Fine. Nothing major has happened, yet and let's hope it stays that way. My mum told me about some horrifying stories about her pregnancies and I hope that I am lucky enough to avoid all of it."

"Oh no. Let us hope, for your sake," Hermione giggled.

"Oh shush! You'll probably hear the same stories from mum when you're pregnant. Just you wait."

Hermione gave a fake laugh and a smile that she hoped seemed convincing enough. It seemed that no matter what the same subject came up. It was becoming quite sore.

Harry and Ron bounded down the stairs to greet them before Hermione's thoughts could go any further.

"Hello," Harry greeted Hermione with a peck on her cheek.

"Hello. What were the two of you doing up there? You're all sweaty."

Harry looked at himself as if her words made him notice for the first time. "We were fixing up one of the old bedrooms."

Ron gave her a knowing smile from behind Harry. Their conversation from earlier that day played before her eyes. She felt better knowing that she could talk to someone about her panicking. She returned his smile.

"Is dinner done, Gin?" Ron asked.

"Almost Ronald. Are you always hungry? Are you sure you're not the one pregnant instead of me," Ginny laughed.

Ron crossed his arms and harrumphed.

Harry and Hermione joined in Ginny's laughter. Ron was always a sight when it came to his temper.

"Oh settle down, Ron. I'm only joking," Ginny said when her giggling subsided.

Ron did. He uncurled his arms and his face became neutral.

"Dinner should be done by now anyway," Ginny said with a grin as she got up and checked on the food.

A smile spread across Ron's face. Of course the way to get him out of one of his moods was to give him food. The man hadn't changed one bit.

Hermione helped Ginny bring the food to the table as the boys sat around the table. She gave them a disapproving look before she sat down next to Ron. Ron immediately started loading his plate. Hermione, as did the rest of the occupants around the table, wrinkled her nose at his behavior.

"Ron your manners are ghastly," Hermione said spooning onto into her bowl.

"No th-ay awen't," he said through a spoonful of soup.

Harry raised an eyebrow at his best friend.

"No wonder you don't have a girlfriend Ron," Ginny giggled.

"Hey!"

"Well, look at your manners. If a girl was to date you, it'd be like having a child around. How did you ever fancy him 'Mione?"

Hermione giggled. "I don't know. I must have been blinded by 'love'," Hermione said sarcastically.

"Hermione! I thought out of everyone at this table I could count on you to stand up for me."

"Sorry Ron, but your manners are terrible," she shrugged.

Ron pouted at her. "It seems it's me against the world," he sighed

"Oh Ron, stop being so dramatic," Harry laughed.

Ron ignored Harry's comment and continued to eat his soup, with respectable manners this time. Everyone at the table stared at him in shock before resuming their own eating.

"Oh! So Ron said you wanted to ask us something," Hermione said before the quiet stretched anymore.

"Yes! Thank you for reminding me," Ginny beamed at Hermione. She took Harry's hand and looked at him before she turned her head to look at Hermione and Ron again.

"We were wondering if the two of you want to be the godparents of our baby," Harry told them.

Ron's spoon clattered to the table.

"Really? You want 'Mione and I to be the godparents?" He asked in disbelief.

"Who else would we ask? You two are our best friends and family. We couldn't think of anyone else that would be more perfect than the two of you."

Ron smiled. "I'm honored."

"Brilliant! Hermione?"

Hermione's brown eyes looked into Harry's hopeful green ones and then at Ginny's equally hopeful brown ones. She gave them a smile.

"Of course I'd be honored to be the godmother of your child."

Harry and Ginny took twin sighs of relief and then smiled at her. "Thank you so much," Ginny said to her brother and Hermione.

"No, thank you for considering us," Hermione beamed.

And she was truly happy that they asked her and Ron. They were right. She and Ron were the perfect people to ask. They were the closest people to them as well as family. A tingling sensation that felt something close to pride and excitement swirled around in Hermione's chest. The smile on her face was genuine and her newest thoughts that centered on her new panic were absent in that moment. She was happy for her friends and herself.

**~-O-~**

It had been a week and half since Ginny and Harry asked her to be the godmother of their child. Every time she thought of the idea and responsibility, her chest swelled with pride. It was fantastic to feel that way.

Hermione was reading the paper during her lunch break that Monday afternoon when she saw the advertisement that would change her life forever. There it was in black and white staring up at her, the answer to her prayers.

**Wanting to start a family?**

**Continue reading and find out how.**

_St. Mungo's Hospital home of one of the largest sperm banks in all of England and Scotland. All of the hassle of having a child without the pesky man. _

_Stop in today for more details._

_(Or if you would like to donate, stop on in. We pay by the Galleon!)_

Hermione stared at the advertisement for a few minutes wondering if something that lewd could be real. And she wondered next why it intrigued her so much. Maybe the line, "All the hassle of having a child without the pesky man", was what caught her attention. It was a sure fire way of having the child her uterus and brain was screaming at her to have without worrying about Mr. Right.

But everything would be so backwards. No man really wanted her now nonetheless with a child that wasn't his, but it was the twenty first century and things have changed. She was a strong woman. She was in Gryffindor for crying out loud. She had a fantastic job at the Ministry.

So why couldn't she have a baby by herself? It would probably be ideal for her. She could raise her child the way she wanted without anyone telling her different. The more she thought about this idea, the more she started to like the sound of it. Hermione Granger, single mother, strong and fearless.

But the weird thing is that the sperm that she would use could be _anyone's_. She could know this person and never know that that person had helped father her child. They wouldn't even know unless she found out where the sperm was from and told them about it. No, that would just be awkward. She would leave it up to Fate, as she always did.

Folding the paper she realized that she only had five minutes until her break was over. She placed the paper under her arm and walked back to her job whistling. Her life was heading in a new direction and she couldn't be more excited. With her birthday around the corner and she was now armed with a plan, the panic and alarms had finally dimmed and she could easily place them in the back of her mind.

As Hermione sat at her desk and back to work, she couldn't help but think of the advert in the paper. She was strangely excited about the unknown. Now to tell her friends the plan and hopefully they won't freak out. It was her decision and she was going to do it regardless with or without their approval.

**~-O-~**

Hermione was nervous as she prepared the table that night for dinner with her friends. Maybe she should have done it in public, no; this was the best way to break the news. Hermione heard the floo activate and knew that someone was coming through. Hermione doubled and triple checked the table and the food and waited for whoever was coming in the living room.

Ginny appeared and Harry did a moment later.

"Hello 'Mione," Harry greeted, walking over to hug her. Ginny followed suit.

"Hello," she gave them a shaky smile.

"Are you okay?" Ginny asked furrowing her brows.

"Yeah, I just have news for you all. Whenever Ronald gets here, we can start eating and then I'll tell you."

At the mention of food, the floo activated once again emitting Ronald Weasley.

"Speak of the devil," Hermione muttered.

"Lo!" He said to the room.

They all greeted him and Hermione ushered them into the dining room where everything was set up.

"Everything looks great, Hermione. This news has to huge if you cooked dinner and dessert," Ron jibed.

"Ha-ha! Well, it is quite a bit of news, but before we talk about that eat up."

Ron didn't have to be told twice as he starting placing large quantities of food on his plate. The rest waited until he got his fill before they placed normal portions on their plate. They ate in comfortable silence, sometimes broken by idle chatter. Hermione took a deep breath when there was a lull in conversation.

Three sets of eyes looked up at her when she did. They must have caught on that she was about to spill the Bertie Botts.

"So, I have decided upon something that will be completely life-changing," the three other adults in the room looked at her to continue. "I don't know how you'll all react, but I just want to say I'm going to do this regardless of what you think. And if that makes me sound bitchy, I'm sorry, but it is my life after all," Hermione rambled.

"'Mione, just spit it out. We know how head strong you are and know that you do as you please," Harry said with a smile beginning to take over his features. It was both encouraging and kind.

Hermione let out a breath through her mouth. "Okay, so I've been panicking. I already talked to Ron about this a bit, but I definitely need to clue the two of you in as well. As we all know, I'll be thirty in a matter of a week. Thirty is a very big deal for a girl, I suppose. I feel like my time is running out. That I'm sitting here wasting my life and I have nothing to show for it, which isn't true in the slightest, but I mean I thought I would be married by and possibly be on my way to having my first or second child by now, but I'm not! I'm far from that.

"So yesterday I saw an ad in the _Prophet_ and it was going on about wanting to have a family and not having to worry about a man to be around to give me to opportunity to have a child. It was a sperm bank. I know, I know! It sounds completely nuts, but I thought about it and I'm fiscally sound and I'm a strong woman. I could do this! And then I thought why the hell not. And I'm going to do this," she finished.

Three pairs of eyes stared at her like she was, in fact, insane. And Hermione kind of felt that she was in that moment. After telling her friends her plan out loud, she sounded insane. Maybe she should locked herself in a padded room whilst she was at St. Mungo's. She waited in silence with bated breath.

"So let me get this straight, you want to have a baby and you're going to a sperm bank to have that chance because you feel that your time is running out?" Harry asked slowly.

"Correct."

"That is kind of crazy," Ginny piped up.

"I know, but what is life without a few risks."

"But it could be virtually anyone!" Ron said next.

"I know. I've thought about that, but the thing is that I wouldn't know that and neither would they so it's not like it matters."

"But it could be anyone!" Ron said again.

"I know that, Ronald! And I'm willing to take that chance."

They lapsed into quiet once again.

She wasn't sure if they knew what to say to her and she wasn't quite sure what to say to them either.

"I have a consultation in a few days actually," Hermione said quietly.

"What happens during this 'consultation'?" Ron asked.

"Well, they ask my preference and to see if I'm healthy enough to carry a child," Hermione said, her cheeks starting to burn. She felt ridiculous talking about this out loud. Her plan definitely sounded better and fool proof in her head and maybe that's where it should have stayed, but she knew that there was no going back.

She was in this for the long haul.

"Well, we'll support you no matter what. You know that, don't you?" Harry asked.

Hermione nodded. "Thank you, Harry."

"Of course. I mean, we've had some crazy plans over the years we were in Hogwarts, how is this any different?" He chuckled.

Hermione felt some of the tension in the room dissipate with his light joke.

"It's just another grand adventure," Hermione said smiling at her friends.

"You can say that again," Ron said.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>If you read my other Dramione story I'm working on, don't worry. I'm still going to write it. This idea just kind of came out of left field and I couldn't wait to write it. So I hoped you liked it! Feedback would be lovely. Cheers. xx


	2. My Body

**Dear Child**

**Chapter Two**

**My Body**

* * *

><p>Today was the day. Hermione was insanely nervous, but that's all right considering today is the day she was to get pregnant. It sounded so strange saying that today was the day she was to be impregnated. She liked to keep everything scheduled, but she had to admit to herself that this was a bit ridiculous in a way, but she wanted this so she wouldn't let something so trivial stop her.<p>

Hermione sat in the private waiting room. She was glad that the clinic was in a wing far from prying eyes. Hermione knew the press would have a field day if they found out why she was visiting the hospital today. She knew that they'd have a field day when they found out that she was pregnant, but she would worry about that later.

Hermione had declined Harry and Ron's offer to accompany her. She wanted to do this alone.

She took a deep breath and opened the door to the clinic. It was empty and Hermione let out a sigh of relief at that. She walked over to the counter and waited for someone to notice her.

A woman came around the corner and her eyes widened as her gaze landed on Hermione.

"Oh! I'm sorry! I hope you haven't been waiting long," she smiled at her.

"No, not at all. I just got here."

"Good. You have an appointment?" Hermione nodded. "Name?"

"Hermione Granger," she was glad that the woman didn't act differently around her after she recognized her.

"Yes, Miss Granger. If you'll take a seat and sign these papers, Healer Grant will be with you."

"Thank you," Hermione said taking the clipboard and sat down in the nearest chair.

The questions were quite normal and standard, until she got to the bottom. Hermione blinked at the questions a few times. She didn't know what to expect when she stepped in here, but even these questions made her blush. Hermione never thought herself a prude, but she was sure anyone else would think so.

She quickly answered the questions, not wanting to linger on them for too long. When she finished the walked over to the counter and Rhonda, she found her name to be, gladly took the clipboard from her.

"If you'll come through that door right there," Rhonda pointed to the door on the left. "I'll take your weight, height and blood pressure."

Hermione opened the door and followed the woman to an exam room. She took her weight and height quickly and had Hermione sit on the examination table. Rhonda rolled Hermione's sleeve up and took out the apparatus that would take her blood pressure.

"Everything looks good," the older woman smiled at her. "Healer Grant should be in quite soon," she said before closing the door and leaving Hermione to sit by herself.

Hermione's fingers drummed on her leg as she waited nervously for the Healer to come in. Her head snapped up to look at the door when she heard the handle turn. Hermione plastered a smile on her face as the door opened.

Healer Granter looked around her age. His face was smooth and void of facial hair. He had a kind face, a baby face. She instantly liked the man.

"Hello Hermione. What can we do for you today?" He said in a loud, booming voice that didn't quite fit his lean, lanky frame.

"Today's my consultation," she said in a meek voice that sounded shy and nervous.

"Very good. Let me read over your chart here and then we'll get to the good stuff!"

Hermione raised an eyebrow at the phrase "the good stuff". He must really love his job. Hermione watched him as his eyes moved back and forth lightening quick over the sheet of paper in his hands. A few "mhms" and "I sees" escaped his lips before he looked back up at her.

"Everything seems in order. Now I'm going to ask you to change into this gown—please remove your underwear—and then I'll start your examination."

He handed her the gown and left the room so she could change. Hermione looked at the skimpy thing in her hands before she tentatively started taking off her clothes. She put on the gown and took her knickers off. She sat down on the table once again and shivered.

A knock resounded on the door and the Healer Grant stuck his head in. "Good, all dressed. Now lay back for me."

Hermione's cheeks reddened as she laid back and stared at the low ceiling.

"You're going to feel a bit of pressure from my hands," he told her as two of his fingers started pressing firmly on the top of her uterus.

Hermione felt the urge to pee, which she always seemed to feel whenever she went to the gynecologist.

"Everything seems fine. I'm going to do an internal exam and then an ultrasound."

Hermione gave a stiff nod.

The whole time Healer Grant was checking her, Hermione felt mortified. Maybe she was indeed a prude after all. It was only a checkup and she was acting as if it was something worse.

"Everything seems in order as well. Now on to the last and easiest part, the ultrasound."

Healer Grant placed a sheet over her legs and pelvis before lifting her gown to get a look at her stomach. Hermione shivered the whole time as he moved the machine around her abdomen. When he wiped the gel off of her and pulled her gown back down, Hermione silently thanked Godric it was over.

"I'll have you change back into your normal clothes and then we'll talk about everything."

Hermione gave him another nod before he left the room and she changed back into her clothes.

Healer Grant came back moments later and sat down on a stool and wheeled it in front of her.

"Everything looks great, Miss Granger. You're very healthy and you should have no problem conceiving. But I do want to ask you a few questions on preference," he said looking up at her.

"All right."

"Do you have any special preferences from the donor? As in hair color, eye color, etcetera."

Hermione thought about it. "Hair and eye color don't matter to me, but possibly someone tall, their family history of disease to be minimal, and intelligent."

"No preference on blood status?"

Hermione shook her head. "That doesn't matter to be as long as this baby will be healthy."

"Very well. When we find a donor that we deem suitable, we'll owl you."

Hermione smiled, this time it was genuine. "Thank you!"

"No problem Miss Granger. We'll be in contact."

Hermione gave him a nod and slid from the table to leave the room.

Hermione felt good about this after her consultation. Hopefully they find a suitable donor soon and then everything will finally come into place for her.

**~-O-~**

Hermione was sitting at her desk minding her own business when someone cleared their throat. Hermione signed her name with a flourish before she looked up.

A stern face with piercing grey eyes stared down at her. Hermione sat back in her chair, spine stiff and face impassive.

"Granger, where the hell is your proposal? It was supposed to be on my desk several hours ago!"

Hermione raised her eyebrows at him. Draco Malfoy was one of her co-workers and she interacted with him as little as possible.

"I did send you my proposal, Malfoy. If you ask your secretary I'm sure she'll show you where it's located on your desk."

A muscle in Draco's jaw tensed and his nostrils flared.

"Don't act snarky with me Granger. I told you to hand deliver it to me, not to give it to my bumbling secretary."

"Oh I'm sorry Malfoy. I didn't realize you were incapable of asking your secretary for help. Are you afraid of asking for help? Is that it?"

Draco clenched his teeth. "I told you to deliver it me because I have a lot of things to do other than read your fucking proposal."

Hermione tsked. "Language, language Malfoy. We are in a work setting and I'm sure our supervisors would not be pleased by such language in the office," she smiled at him. "And next time I'll definitely give you any paperwork you need directly to you."

His eyes narrowed to silvery slits and his lips thinned. "Your sarcasm isn't even remotely attractive, Granger."

"And neither is your steely demeanor," she retorted.

He scoffed and opened his mouth to refute her claim, but closed it and walked away.

Hermione shook her head at Draco Malfoy's ridiculous temper. Whenever his temper was directed at her, she felt like they were back in Hogwarts again, but this time he was a bit more agreeable. But it wasn't much and majority of the time she still couldn't stand the prick.

Hermione sighed and went back to looking over contracts when someone else cleared their throat. Hermione slammed a hand down on her desk and looked quickly up at the person who now dared to bother her.

"Look Mal—"her anger quickly ebbed as she looked up to see not Malfoy, but Harry Potter.

"Hello to you too," he mumbled holding up his hands in surrender.

Hermione brushed a hand through her hair. "Sorry Harry. I thought you'd be Malfoy again and I just can't handle him today."

Harry smirked and leaned a hip against her desk. "I see Malfoy hasn't changed."

"Not at all. You should be happy that you don't have to work with him. I'm thinking about transferring to the Department of the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures just to get away from him."

"Isn't that a bit extreme?"

Hermione let out a laugh. "No, not at all. And it wouldn't just to get away from him. I was thinking about it for a while now. It's just a convenient way of getting away from him is all."

"Well, enough about Malfoy, come to lunch with me. I want to hear how yesterday went."

Hermione nodded and put away the papers on her desk before grabbing her purse and heading out of the Ministry with Harry.

Hermione relaxed once the Ministry was out of her sight. She and Harry went to their favorite spot to have lunch which was a small deli a few shops down from the Ministry. Hermione sat down at their usual table while Harry ordered their sandwiches.

He came back moments later and set her plate in front of her. He sat down in the seat opposite of her.

"So how'd it go?" Harry asked as he took a massive bite of his sandwich.

"Hungry?" Hermione giggled. "Everything went well. They're finding a suitable donor for me now and once they do they'll start the…process."

"That process is called conception, Hermione. The way you're doing it may not be traditional, but nonetheless that's what it is. But I'm glad. I hope they find someone that is intelligent as you are."

"I did ask for them to find someone intelligent," Hermione said blushing a bit.

Harry laughed. "That doesn't surprise me. Well, I hope your donor is everything you want."

"Me too," Hermione sighed as she bit into her sandwich.

**~-O-~**

An owl came a week later explaining that they had found a match and that Hermione should come in the next day. Hermione stared at the letter and read it over and over again. She almost couldn't believe what she was reading.

Tomorrow.

Tomorrow she would start the process and become a mother. A mother! The very title she pined over was now going to be a reality, tomorrow!

Hermione set the letter down on the kitchen table and walked into her den. She sat down on the sofa and ran a hand over her face. It was almost too much to take in at the moment.

Hermione dropped her hand from her face. She forgot one important thing in her little plan. She forgot to tell her parents.

They had been bugging her about this very topic for several years now. Asking when she was going to settle down. Why things with Ron hadn't worked out. And when was she going to give them a grandchild and marry of course, but not in that order.

She flopped back on the couch. What were they going to think when she sprung the news upon them? And she needed to do that soon, like tonight. She couldn't just show up at their house and say, "surprise mum and dad, I'm pregnant". They'd faint or have a heart attack. There would be so many questions. Oh goodness. Why didn't she think about this before? She had always been logical and reasonable about her plans, but for some reason this slipped her mind.

Hermione sat up and stood from the couch. She had to be the Gryffindor that she was and tell her parents what was going to happen. Hermione straightened her spine and walked over to her fireplace. She grabbed a handful of floo powder and flooed to her parents' home.

After the initial spinning was over, Hermione dusted herself off.

"Mum? Dad? Are you home?"

"We're in the kitchen, dear!" Her mother called out.

Hermione walked out of the den and down the hall before making a right. Her mother was standing over the sink washing dishes and her father was sitting at the table reading the paper.

"Hello Hermione. What brings you by today?" Her father asked as he lowered his paper.

Hermione gave her father a smile before sitting down at the table. "Oh, I needed to speak to both of you."

"Oh? What about? Nothing bad, I hope," her mother said shutting off the water and drying her hands before she came to sit down at the table.

"No, nothing bad," Hermione said flashing them both a smile before her eyes were downcast once again. "I just wanted to tell you that I'm going to the hospital tomorrow. It's nothing to worry about, I suppose."

"Hermione, you're frightening us. What's going on?"

"I'm going to the hospital to get inseminated. I went to a sperm bank just last week and they've found me a donor," Hermione blushed.

"Wait, you're going to have a stranger's child?" Her father asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I know! I know it sounds horrible, but they take my preferences into consideration and—" Hermione cut herself off and sighed. "I'm thirty now and who knows when or if I'll get married. I just don't want it to be too late. And I figure that I can do this on my own. I'm financially stable and I'm strong enough to do this."

Her mother took her hand in hers. "You are a strong woman and you do have the money to raise a child, but raising a child is hard work, Hermione. I'm not saying you can't do this, but just think about it. What about Ron? What if you two had a child together? You're close friends and he'd be there for you when you needed the support."

"Mum, Ron and I are over. We've been over for _years_. He's one of my best friends, but that's it. I thought years ago that I wanted to have children with Ron, but I just think that'd be…strange now. I don't view him that way and he doesn't view me that way either. So can we drop that thought, please?" She pleaded. "And I know it's going to be hard, but there are plenty of single mothers out there that have made it work and I can do that. I know that this isn't the future you have foreseen for me, but this is my life. And I doing it this way isn't exactly what I want, but it's a solution."

"And we respect you for taking this part of your life into your own hands," her father butted in. "And we know you can do this. You're the strongest, smartest girl we know and if anyone can do this, it's you. We love you Hermione and whatever decision you make in your life, we'll be there to support you."

Hermione gave her father a genuine smile. "Thanks dad."

He nodded at her and gave her a smile in return.

"Your father's right. We'll support you and help you with anything you need."

"Thanks mum. I love you both."

"And we love you."

Hermione gave her mother a hug and then her father.

"Will you need anything for tomorrow?" Her father asked.

"No, but I'll call or see you after…everything's done."

They both nodded.

"Well, I'm going to head home and just relax. And thanks again for being so understanding."

"Of course, dear."

Hermione waved at them before walking out of the room and back to the den where she flooed back home.

**~-O-~**

Hermione placed her hand on the handle of the door and breathed in and out a few times before finally going in. Rhonda was sitting at the little window in the waiting room. She looked up at Hermione and gave her a warm smile.

"Hello Miss Granger. How are you feeling today?"

"Well, thank you. How are you?"

"I'm fine. If you take a seat, Healer Grant will be with you momentarily."

Hermione nodded and sat down in the chair. She crossed and uncrossed her legs at least half a dozen times before she was called to go through the same door she did a week before.

"Hello Miss Granger! Today's the _big_ day!" Healer Grant said in his boisterous voice.

"Hello and you can call me Hermione by the way."

He gave her a smile. "Very well, Hermione. Now, if you'll change into a gown for me, I'll be back in a few moments. I must go get everything that we'll need for the procedure."

Hermione nodded and Healer Grant left. Hermione changed and sat on the table and waited for Healer Grant to come back.

He came back ten minutes later with a small caddy of medical tools. He wheeled it over to the table that Hermione was sitting on.

"I'm going to check your heart and blood pressure before we go any farther."

Hermione took deep calming breaths as Healer Grant went to work. "Everything seems fine. Now, lie back."

Hermione did as she was told and waited for it all to begin.

Healer Grant placed her legs in stirrups. Hermione felt ridiculous with her legs spread apart as they were. She tried not to think about it as she looked up at the ceiling and hummed a random tune in her head.

The sound of Healer Grant's gloves resounding around the room brought her out of her thoughts.

"Ready?" He asked with a kind smile.

Hermione looked down at him, her mouth thinned and she gave a curt nod. She laid her head back and waited resuming her humming and ceiling staring.

Hermione felt pressure in and around her lower region. She grimaced and gritted her teeth. This was worse than a checkup. She hummed louder in her head and tried to remove herself from the situation.

"All done!" Healer Grant said as he moved her legs from the stirrups and pulled the blanket back over her legs once again.

Hermione wondered how long it took. She wasn't really paying attention.

"That wasn't so bad," Hermione said.

"No, nor is it as fun as it could have been," he joked.

Hermione let out a quiet, uneasy laugh.

"All right Hermione. No apparating, no smoking, no drinking, no heavy lifting, etcetera. I'm sure you know the drill. I just want you to take it easy for the next few days. In two weeks I want you to take a test to see if you are pregnant. If you aren't, come back and we'll try again."

Hermione nodded and shook his hand. "Thank you Healer Grant."

"It wasn't a problem."

He left the room once again and Hermione quickly got dressed. She grabbed her purse and headed out of the office as fast as her legs could carry her. She walked down the hall to the fireplace that was for public use. She grabbed a pinch of powder and called out for her flat.

Things were surely about to get interesting now.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>Thanks to all who favorited and alerted and reviewed! Love you all!

Reviews are welcome!


	3. Stupid Grin

**Dear Child**

**Chapter Three**

**Stupid Grin**

_Beautiful things, beautiful things, beautiful things are coming.  
>Beautiful things, beautiful things, beautiful things are coming to you.<em>

* * *

><p>Hermione stared at her naked torso in the mirror in her bedroom. Was she supposed to feel any different? If so, she didn't. She moved a shaky hand from her side and let her finger graze her abdomen. She shivered at the contact of her cold finger tips. She gave one last look at herself before putting a shirt on.<p>

Hermione walked into her den and sat on the couch. She was supposed to be taking it easy, but she felt so restless. She felt like a science experiment. Hermione felt ridiculous thinking that she was supposed to feel _something_. She had no idea what the something was, but she knew that she felt nothing, except maybe a bit of nervousness with a side of anxiety.

Hermione grabbed the book she had been reading the day prior from the coffee table and opened it. She happily started reading from where she left off, but she caught herself whenever her mind roamed to something other than the words on the page. Her eyes flitted to the glass doors that led to the small balcony. Maybe some fresh air would do her some good.

She put the book back down on the table and got off the couch. She walked in her bare feet to the sliding glass door and opened it. A gust of fresh summer air rushed over her and made her hair flutter over her shoulders. Hermione closed her eyes and let the air waft over her. She opened her eyes again and walked onto the stone balcony and sunk down in the solitary chair.

Hermione looked at the lush trees and the tiny birds flitting from branch to branch. She wondered to herself why she didn't sit out here more often and made a vow right then and there that she would from today on.

She felt so alive sitting there at that moment. It had to be because she could possibly be nurturing a new life within herself. The thought filled her with happiness as well as nervousness. Doubts flooded her mind. Would she be a good mother? Could she truly raise this child by herself with the support of her family and friends? Would anyone want her after all? She was possibly pregnant with another man's baby and she was obviously quite independent, two strikes against her. Of course it was totally possible to have a relationship after she had this baby. It wasn't one of her main priorities, but she just wondered if it was possible for _her_.

Hermione took a deep breath. Everything would be fine, she hoped at least. Hermione leaned her head back on her chair and looked up at the sky. It was light blue with wispy clouds that traveled by quickly. Hermione thought it ironic. It perfectly displayed her life, moving faster than she could comprehend with her dreams she's had since a small child passing through her hands like smoke. She moved her eyes from the sky and looked at the trees in front of her.

She sat up quickly. She forgot she promised to tell her parents how she was feelings after she her procedure. Hermione got up and walked back into her flat. She grabbed her phone and dialed her parents' home phone number. It rang three times before her mother picked up the phone.

"Hey mum!"

"Hermione! How are you feeling darling? Do you need anything?"

"I'm fine, mum and I promise I don't need anything. Healer Grant just told me to take it easy, that's all."

"Good. Are you resting, dear? I'll come over right now if you need me to."

"Mum, I'm fine. I'll probably take a nap and then eat something."

"All right. If you need _anything_ your dad and I are only a call away."

"I know and thank you. I'll call you later or tomorrow."

"Okay dear. Bye. I love you!"

"Bye mum, I love you and dad both."

Hermione hung up her phone and laid it on her coffee table next to her book.

She loved her mum, but sometimes she could be a bit overprotective. She was thirty years old now and she could take care of herself, but of course her mother didn't want to hear it no matter how many times she and her father told her differently. Hermione shook her head and stretched out on the couch. She curled up in the fetal position and closed her eyes. A nap didn't sound half bad. She would eat something when she woke up just as she informed her mother.

She let out a loud yawn and was asleep a few minutes later dreaming about an unknown future.

**~-O-~**

**Two weeks later**

"It's been two weeks right?" Ginny asked her one day over lunch.

Hermione nodded.

"Are you excited to finally find out?" Ginny asked turning her big brown eyes on Hermione.

"I am, just a bit nervous. It all seems so surreal."

"That's what I thought when I found out I was pregnant, but you don't quite get used to the idea that you're carrying another human inside of you."

Hermione smiled at the woman in front of her. "I suppose you don't. Will you be there when I take the test? I feel it's an occasion that one needs to have to moral support."

"Of course I'll be there Hermione!"

"Great, thank you," Hermione sagged in relief. "I'll be home around four and you can come over around four thirty and then we'll find out the results."

Ginny giggled. "Hermione, it isn't some kind of test that you study for."

"I know, but this _is_ a big deal."

Ginny nodded. "That it is. Well, I'll see you soon."

Hermione left the coins on the table to pay for their bill and went back to work.

As soon as Hermione stepped onto the floor, Draco Malfoy was striding towards her. His face was in its usual perpetual scowl and his strides were long. He obviously meant business. Hermione braced herself for the tongue lashing she knew she was bound to receive.

"We have to go investigate a murder," he said stiffly.

"Oh, all right. Let me grab my things and I'll meet the team in front of the elevators."

"There isn't a team this time. It's just you and I, Granger."

Hermione glared at him. "How cozy," she bit out.

"This isn't fizzing whizbees and dragons for me either, but that was the order I received. So hurry up," he said brushing past her and walking to the elevators.

Hermione walked quickly to her desk and grabbed her holster that she put her wand in when she went out on cases. She changed her low heels to comfortable trainers and transfigured her skirt into jeans and her blouse into a track jacket.

She walked to the elevators and it was no surprise that Malfoy wasn't standing there waiting for her. She stepped into the elevator and shook her head. She couldn't believe that her supervisor made her team up with him. Didn't she know that they despised each other? Maybe she needed to make this a bit more evident next time they had a meeting.

Once the doors opened the smooth female voice announced that she was now in the foyer, Hermione's mind let go of the morose thoughts she was having and went into investigation mode. She walked to the fireplaces and was content enough to see that he hadn't left her after all.

"I'm surprised you waited," she said as she walked to him.

"I had no choice. You didn't know where we were going."

Hermione's cheeks pinked for two reasons. One, from the embarrassment his words brought her. Of course she didn't know where they were going. He just bum rushed her told her that they would be going out on an investigation together. And that distracted her enough. And the second reason, she was angry at his nonchalance and cold demeanor. Hermione knew he wasn't going to smile at her and crack a joke here and there to lessen the tension like a lot her other teammates, but once again she had to remind herself that this was Malfoy. The man had been this way since she met him and he wasn't going to change any time soon.

"Shall we? Or are you still mentally preparing yourself?" He asked raising a pale eyebrow.

"Lead the way," she gestured with her hand to the fireplaces.

He gave her a look before shaking his head and walking purposely to the nearest fireplace. He grabbed a pinch of floo powder and called out, "Nott Manor" and whirled away in seconds. Hermione's eyebrows went up at the place he had called out. She wasn't expecting that, but she masked her face into what she called her professional face before copying Draco's actions.

**~-O-~**

Hermione stepped out of the fireplace and instantly started brushing the soot off of her jacket and pants. Draco was walking around the first floor, his wand out, his face serious and his eyes shifting every few seconds.

"You can check upstairs. The body's been removed by now," he said not turning to look at her.

"What happened?" She asked not moving from the spot.

"Theodore Nott's mother was murdered this morning," he told her, his voice not wavering in the slightest.

Hermione watched him cast spell after spell that she knew by heart. He looked so at ease. She wondered if she would ever know if Draco Malfoy was in pain. The only time she knew him to break down was in sixth year, something she would never forget about. It showed that despite his almost inhumane quality to mask all of his feelings, he really was vulnerable too. And after Harry had told her that, she couldn't help but see him in a new light even though he was still a rigid prick.

"Oh. Have they caught the suspect?" Hermione asked after she realized she had been quiet for too long and he was in another room.

"I'm not sure. When they briefed me they didn't give me a lot of information. They just wanted us to get here as soon as possible. So go check upstairs Granger. I can finish down here."

She nodded, even though he couldn't see her and headed up the stairs. She took her wand out of her holster and muttered spells on her way up to see if they would reveal any residue from spells that could have been cast in the last twenty-four hours. She found nothing on the stairs and continued down the hallway.

Hermione shivered. The Nott Manor reminded her distinctively of the Malfoy Manor. She reminded herself that this house wasn't where she was tortured. It was a terrible house. She knew that there had to be horrors that have happened here too, but it wasn't the house that she thought she would die in.

She swept the hall and found nothing. That's when she started in on the rooms. There weren't as many as Malfoy Manor, but there were still quite a lot. She opened the first door and swept it, nothing. She moved from room to room to room and found nothing. It was strange. She moved to the last room and twisted the knob. It didn't budge. She said a quiet _Alohomora_, but it didn't open. Hermione tried several other different spells, but none of them worked. It left her with no choice. She stood back and said, _Bombarda!_ The door exploded from the hinges and fell forward.

Hermione heard Draco's feet hitting the stairs as he made his way up them. He was out of breath by the time he got to her.

"What the _fuck_, Granger?" He heaved.

"The door wouldn't open," she shrugged.

"So you thought it a good idea to just blow it from the hinges? Merlin Granger, what are you going to do next?" He glared down at her.

"I tried every other spell, Malfoy! It isn't like this was the first spell I chose! Now, if you're quite done ridiculing me for using _brash_ methods, then you can go back downstairs. This is the last room I have to check and then we can get out of here."

He let out a huff. "No. I'm going to stand right here just in case you get any more ridiculous ideas that involve blowing things up."

It was Hermione's turn to glare. "Fine! Stand there for all I care," she grumbled as she walked into the room and started casting her spells.

She felt rather self-conscious as she moved about the room. Draco Malfoy was standing there probably watching her, criticizing her and her _methods_. She tried to ignore him by humming the same tune she did when she was at the clinic. It was all mindless wandwork until the tip of her wand glowed red. Her eyes widened and excitement trickled through her system.

"I think I found something!"

She didn't hear Draco approach her until she heard his voice right behind her. She jumped.

"Something's hidden behind this door."

Hermione hesitantly opened the door and said a quiet _Lumos_ before she ventured into the closet. It was a lot deeper than it looked.

"Someone must have cast an Undetectable Extension Charm on this," Hermione muttered mostly to herself.

"Thank you Captain Obvious," Draco said once again from behind her.

"Would you stop sneaking up on me?" She asked turning her head to look at him. The light from their wands looked eerie in his pale eyes. Hermione turned around before she could be unnerved by them.

"I don't sneak up on you, Granger. It isn't my fault that you don't hear me or that you tramp around like a bleeding hippogriff!"

"I _do not_ tramp around like a bleeding hippogriff!" She said, the indignation in her voice showed her resentment for his statement.

"Quiet Granger! I heard something. Move aside so I can go first."

Hermione's anger slowly faded at his statement. She moved aside and let him through. He held his wand up high until he stopped in front of a wall. He brought his wand closer to it, placing a hand to feel for some sort of trigger.

"I bet it has some sort of blood sacrifice," Hermione said quietly.

Draco looked back at her. "You may be right."

Draco's wand went out without a word from him. "Bring your wand closer, Granger."

Hermione walked over to him slowly. She watched as he took his wand and slid it across his palm. A small gash appeared. He took his palm and wiped it over the wall. When the wall gave a small shutter before it started to move, Hermione heard Draco mutter a healing spell.

He lit his wand once again and walked into the dank cavern. A pungent smell hit Hermione's nostrils almost causing her to heave the contents of her stomach right there on the floor.

"Breath into the crook of your elbow," he told her as he moved into the room. "And the smell isn't that bad, Granger," he said striding away. She thought he heard him mutter weak-stomached.

Hermione placed her arm over her face and breathed into her arm as he instructed. She followed him, her wand tip still light and held aloft.

They climbed up a spiral staircase made out of stone. It looked quite old and made Hermione wonder how long this had been there. Once they reached the top, there was a door down a short corridor. They could see a light on under the door and a shadow moving back and forth.

Draco held up his hand to halt her. She stopped and watched Draco walk toward the door, not hearing one sound from his feet. She would have to ask him how he managed to stay so quiet after all of this. He crept to the door and pressed his ear to it.

Hermione couldn't hear anything from where she was standing and wondered if anyone was talking in the room. When Draco stepped back, she watched as he raised his wand and cast the same spell that he chastised her for. If Hermione hadn't been so caught up in the case, she would ream him out for yelling at her. She'd tuck this little fact away in the back of her mind and use it as ammunition for later.

Draco disappeared into the smoke and noise that he created. Hermione heard and saw spells being cast again and again. She crept closer, but stopped when she heard a groan emitted from the fray. She jogged to the door and could see Draco panting and an unconscious Theodore Nott laying on the ground.

"What the—"

"He disappeared after the war, but I figured he moved out of the country. I didn't know he was holed up in a closet," Draco said, his eyes not leaving Nott Jr.'s prone form.

"I don't understand. He never took part in the war. His father did, but he never did."

"I know. I suppose his mother locked him up here to keep him safe."

"Are you saying that she kept him locked up here even _now_?" Hermione asked in disbelief.

"It seems that way. Bind him. I'm going to send a message to the Department to let them know we found someone. I'm sure they'll want to know beforehand."

Hermione nodded and watched as he left the room to send a Patronus.

Hermione bent over Theodore's body. She looked at his face and would have never recognized the man if she had seen him on the street. He looked older than his possible thirty years. He was dirty and the smell she encountered when they first came into the room was coming from him. Nausea almost overtook her once again, but she placed an arm over her face once again.

Hermione stood once again. She bound him and levitated him so that he could follow her out of the room. When she got to the bottom of the stairs, Draco was coming back up them. He looked up at her, his silver-grey eyes reflecting the light from his wand almost reminded her of a cat, cunning and mysterious, not knowing what move he was going to make next.

"Did you contact them?"

"Yes. We'll apparate him directly there," he told her.

Healer Grant's words rang in her head, _no apparating_. Hermione looked apprehensive.

"Erm—you can apparate with him. I'll floo back."

Draco raised his eyebrow at her, but didn't comment. Draco took over levitating Nott's body. Hermione walked past him and through the closet. She figured Draco was behind her since there were wards over the manor. Once they made it back to the first floor, Hermione grabbed some floo powder. Draco walked past her towards the front door, but not before he gave her a nod. She nodded back at him and whirled away in the green flames back to the Ministry.

**~-O-~**

Hermione relaxed on her couch; head back, eyes closed, feet on the coffee table. The investigation today wasn't as bad as some of cases that came after the war, but it was still stressful on her body; her possible pregnant body.

She opened her eyes and looked at her wristwatch. Ginny should be there any minute now. As soon as she thought it, a flurry of green flames and red hair appeared in her grate.

"Hey!"

"Hi," Hermione said tiredly.

"Long day at work, eh? I heard that you and Draco Malfoy caught Theodore Nott."

"Yeah, oddly enough we made a good team with minimal insults."

Ginny laughed. "Wow. Who would have thought?"

It was Hermione's turn to laugh. "Not I and I am quite sure he didn't either."

"Okay, enough about work. You can bore me with that later. On to the main event!"

Hermione rolled her eyes and stood. She grabbed the small plastic bag that held the pregnancy test.

"You're using a Muggle test?"

"Yes. I could do it the easy way, but alas I always pictured myself using a Muggle test. They aren't one hundred percent, but eh."

Ginny smiled. "But it is who you are, difficult."

Hermione stuck out her tongue at her before she walked into the bathroom. Hermione could hear Ginny yell "real mature Mione" through the door. Hermione laughed and shook her head.

Hermione took a deep breath before letting it out through her mouth. _The moment of truth_.

Hermione took the test and placed it on the marble counter top. She placed her hands on either side of the sink and looked into the mirror.

Her eyes roved over her face, nothing has changed. She still didn't understand why she thought there would be this huge change, but she did. It was ridiculous to think so. Hermione looked down at her watch, five minutes left and it couldn't have gone by any slower.

She tapped her short nails on the counter top and urged the time to pass by quicker. She looked down at her watch again, one more minute. It felt like ants were walking around in her stomach. She would find out if she was truly pregnant. She had been fantasizing about this moment for years and it was finally _the_ moment.

Hermione looked down at her watch once again. It was time. She breathed in and out a few times before closing and opening her eyes. She grabbed the test with a shaky hand. She brought it to eye-level and stared. The little pink plus stared at her back. She was pregnant.

She was pregnant.

_She was pregnant!_

Hermione let out a shriek, a moment later Ginny opened the door. Hermione turned to her, a giant smile on her face. Ginny smiled back at her.

"Congratulations!" Ginny squealed.

"Thank you!"

Ginny hugged her friend and Hermione hugged her back. When she looked at herself in the mirror again, she saw it. She saw the change that she was looking for. She looked happy. She looked the way that knew she should be. Finally.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>Ah! Thank you all for the reviews and what not! You are the best and I'm so so happy that you're enjoying this fic thus far! It motivated me to write this chapter! I had a lot of fun writing Draco/Hermione banter, but alas they won't be together any time soon (sorry!). Anyway, thank you again! And reviews are love! xx


	4. Turned to Real Life

**Dear Child**

**Chapter Four**

**Turned to Real Life**

* * *

><p><em>Month One<em>

After Hermione found out the wonderful news that she was pregnant, she told the news to everyone, Harry, Ron, and her parents. Her mother had hugged her to the point she couldn't breathe. Her father had to pry her mother off of her and Hermione was infinitesimally grateful for the man. Harry had reacted like his wife; he hugged her and told her congratulations. She knew that Harry didn't quite agree with her methods, but she was glad he supported her anyway. Ron, Ron didn't seem as happy about this like everyone else. He had given her a one-armed hug and mumbled congratulations. Hermione didn't question him about it. She didn't want to bring down her own fantastic mood.

And she was still on her high when she entered the Ministry on Monday morning. She hummed a happier tune than her usual neutral tune. She took the elevator and bounced on the balls of her feet. She felt that even Malfoy couldn't bring her down today.

Once she stepped onto her floor and started walking to her desk, she noticed a pair of very expensive leather shoes resting on her desk. Hermione groaned silently to herself. She knew who it was without even seeing his face. She stopped in front of her desk and placed her hands on her slim hips. Draco looked up at her and raised one of his eyebrows, one of his many trademarks.

"What are you doing here?" She asked evenly.

"I work here," he said matching her tone.

"Not at this desk."

"At this particular desk, no, but I do work on this floor. And I was sent here to fetch you. We're the lucky ones who get to ask Theodore Nott questions."

"Brilliant. Are we partners now?" She asked crossing her arms.

Draco snorted. Hermione stored the sound into her memories. She had never seen him act as such. "Merlin I hope not! I couldn't handle you on investigations. I'm glad you're not a bloody Auror, you'd give us away so easily with your blaring footsteps."

Hermione's jaw clenched. "I don't walk that loud! And speaking of which, how do you manage to stay so quiet? I didn't even hear you when we were at Nott Manor."

"One, it's called having grace and poise. And two, it's also called putting silencing charms on your shoes."

Hermione felt better knowing his secret. She was also happy to know that it wasn't just his natural grace that kept his footsteps quiet, but a charm. Draco Malfoy was starting to become a bit more human to her as they worked together. Hermione's insides froze at the thought. How could she think of _this_ man as anything close to human? She shook her head.

"Sure. So we have to interrogate Nott now?"

Draco removed his legs from her desk with the grace Hermione could only dream of and stood fluidly from her chair. "Yes. Apparently the Aurors are too busy with training or something. Isn't this something they need to learn, interrogating someone?"

Hermione shrugged. "I suppose not yet. Shall we?"

Draco nodded and strode from behind her desk and walked a few corridors until they reached the reached the specific corridor that held the interrogation rooms. Draco stopped in front of the one Nott must be held in and opened it. He gestured for Hermione to enter. She was surprised by his gesture, but wasn't at the same time. Despite his dislike for her, he was still a gentleman.

She walked into the room and saw Theodore Nott sitting in a chair, clearly bound and looking the same as he did when Malfoy brought him in. Hermione sat down in the chair in front of him. Draco took the seat next to hers. He folded his hands on the table and looked at Nott as if he hadn't been friends with the man. And maybe they really hadn't been. Hermione never knew who Draco was really friends with besides Blaise Zabini, Pansy Parkinson, and Crabbe and Goyle. She wondered who he was close with now. She stopped that train of thought immediately. She was supposed to be working not wondering about Draco Malfoy's personal life.

"Well hello Nott. I can't say that I ever thought I'd see you here of all places," Draco said relaxing in his chair.

"I see that you've finally got out from under your father and have made something of yourself."

Draco rolled his eyes. "Yes, unlike you it seems."

Hermione's eyes moved from one man to the other. Their banter clearly showing they were friends as she first thought them to be.

"Right. My irrational bint of a mother decided to lock me in a room for eleven years," he spat.

"Did you see your mother the day that we discovered you?" Hermione asked before Draco could say anything else to get Nott riled up any more than he already was.

Nott turned his dark eyes over to her. "No. I thought she either kicked the bucket or she forgot about me."

Hermione swallowed and licked her lips. "Well, someone murdered your mother."

Theodore shook his head slowly. "Who?" He asked quietly.

"We don't know. We don't have a suspect," Draco told him.

Theodore looked over at Draco. His dark brown eyes looked desolate and dejected. Hermione thought he wouldn't care the way he was carrying on about his mother, but apparently it was a ruse. Hermione watched as one of her schoolmates fell apart. It wasn't a sight she liked to behold no matter who the person was.

His jaw clenched and his fists balled into fists. "It wasn't me. You can check my memories. I want to find whoever did this and make them pay!"

"We were intending to look through your memories, Nott. And we're looking for the person responsible. The Aurors are a bit busy and understaffed at the moment," Draco drawled.

Nott simply nodded.

"I'll be preforming legilimecy on you Nott to see that you had nothing to do with your mother's memories, all right?" Draco said scooting closer to the table.

Nott nodded once again.

Draco took out his wand. "Now, to make this easier on you, keep your eyes on mine. You can blink, but don't move your eyes from mine. Got it?"

Nott nodded for a third time.

"_Legilimens!_" Draco said pointing his wand at Theodore.

Hermione watched with complete interest as Draco searched through Theodore's mind. She had never experienced anyone doing this to someone else so close. She heard the stories from Harry of Snape doing it to him, but this was a whole new experience.

She had heard around the office that Draco was a very skilled Legilimen, but she thought she'd never get to see him do it. It was over after at least ten minutes.

"He didn't do it," Draco told her.

"Am I free to go?" Nott asked.

"We'll probably hold you for a bit longer to see what we'll do with you."

"I would like to return to my home," he said.

"And I don't think that's the safest thing for you to do. The person who did this might come back now that they know you're alive," Draco stated. "And that's all we need is another murder on our hands. So I think you'd rather sit in a cell for a few more days so we can secure your safety."

Nott scowled at Draco before he agreed with what Draco was saying.

"Good, now that we have that settled. Come along Granger, we must go tell our supervisor the good needs," Draco said sarcastically. "An auror will be in to assist you back to your cell. Good day Nott."

Draco rose from his chair and headed out of the interrogation room with Hermione scurrying after his long strides. She looked over her shoulder at Nott to see that he wasn't looking at them, but at the table, his shoulders slumped and shaking. Hermione turned back around to give him his privacy, but she couldn't help but feel terrible for his loss. She had never had an opinion of Theodore Nott. He never seemed like the rest of the House he hailed from, but she didn't truly know him to really make such an assessment.

Hermione saw Draco disappear into an office several feet from her. She knew it to be their supervisor, Vivian Moore. Hermione had a lot of respect for the woman. She ran the Department with an iron fist and didn't give a shit that she hurt someone in the process as long as everything ran smoothly and they did their jobs correctly.

"Ah, Draco and Hermione. Have a seat," she said in her husky voice.

Draco sunk down in the nearest chair to him stretched his long legs out in front of him. Hermione sat down next to him and crossed her legs by her ankles and folded her hands on her lap.

"Nott didn't kill his mother," Draco said bluntly.

"Are you a hundred percent sure?" Vivian queried.

"Yes, I checked his mind thoroughly," he drawled.

"Very well. You two are dismissed."

"But what's to happen to him?" Hermione asked.

Vivian looked up from her paperwork. "We'll set him free."

"And what if the killer's after him?"

"It is out of our hands," Vivian expressed simply.

Hermione felt anger well up inside of her. "Out of our hands? _Out of our hands_?" She screeched. "We're supposed to protect those who need it and Theodore Nott needs it!"

Hermione was breathing heavily and her fists were clenched on her lap.

Vivian's bluish-green eyes looked up from the parchment on her desk to Hermione's brown ones. Her mouth was set in a grimace.

"You're absolutely right Miss Granger," she said calmly. "But we cannot help those who cannot help themselves. We are here to protect, yes, but Theodore Nott is not on our priority list."

Hermione's jaw clenched and opened her mouth to retort when Draco grabbed her forearm. She swiveled her eyes to look at him. Her anger ebbed away at the look he gave her. His eyes were bright with anger as well as something else Hermione couldn't quite tell.

She shut her mouth and turned back to Vivian who was staring at them with a mix of confusion and interest.

"Very well," Draco said in his usual bored tone. "Anything else before we depart?"

"No, that will be all. Thank you," she said curtly.

Draco nodded and stood up. He gave Hermione a look and she stood as well following him out of the office. He was walking back to her desk she realized after the past his. When they arrived there, he whirled around and faced her.

"What the hell are you doing?" He seethed.

Hermione shrunk back at his change in demeanor. "What are you talking about?"

"You know Vivian doesn't give a shit about anyone but herself! You know she won't care what happens to Nott! This is why I didn't want to bring it up in there!" He yelled.

Hermione's mouth gaped like a fish. "You weren't?" She asked meekly.

"No! I was going to take this into my own hands. I was going to bring him back to the Manor," he told her, the anger leaving him.

"You were?"

"Yes. If you had just shut up and let me handle it, then your little outburst would have never happened!"

Hermione stared owlishly at him. He was going to help him? Why didn't he tell her? Why _would_ he tell her? She continued to look at him. His face was impassive, his eyes cold. There he goes again, showing her a side of him that she never fathomed he had. It made her wonder who the hell Draco Malfoy was now.

"I'm sorry Malfoy."

"Save it, Granger," he held up his hand. "If there's a fucking next time just don't say anything. I know how to handle Vivian."

Hermione nodded as Draco turned on his heel and strode away from her. In that moment that Hermione watched Draco walk away from her, she realized she didn't know how nor her boss as well as she thought. Maybe Draco wasn't the same little boy that tormented her all those years ago. Maybe Vivian was the bitch that everyone whispered about. Hermione had always dismissed the rumors about the woman because she thought it was just talk; a woman doing a man's job. But it was true. She was a bitch. And Draco Malfoy wasn't as much of a bastard as he was when he was a kid. Things change.

**~-O-~**

"So you haven't discovered the wonderful joy of morning sickness?" Ginny asked her friend one day.

"No, thank Merlin!" Hermione said looking up from her book.

"Lucky bint!" Ginny groaned. "I hope it stops sometime soon. Mum said she had morning sickness with every single one of us."

"That's horrible."

"I know, but you have nothing to complain about. Knowing you you'll probably have the most perfect pregnancy while I suffer everything and anything," Ginny smiled at her.

Hermione laughed. "I haven't even cleared my first month and you're saying that everything will be fine. We don't know that."

"I know. I'm only joking. So…how's work?" Ginny queried looking sideways at Hermione.

Hermione peered up from her book, an eyebrow quirked. "It's fine. Why?" She narrowed her eyes at the suspicious question. Ginny was never one to ask about her job simply because it always seemed to bore her to tears.

"Oh, nothing. I just heard from a little birdy that you and Malfoy are getting on better. That's all," she shrugged.

"Where did you hear this from? Wait, no, don't answer that. I'm sure you heard it from Harry. He's worse than Parvati and Lavender the way he gossips," Ginny laughed at the truth of the statement. "But I wouldn't say we're getting on. We tolerate each other now that we seem to be working together more. It's nothing," she dismissed.

"Uh huh," Ginny said disbelief in her tone.

"Don't even! Malfoy dislikes me and I dislike him."

"That was almost twelve years ago! How do you know if he dislikes you now?"

"Easy. Nothing has changed, Gin. He's still a prat and I'm still a 'know-it-all bookworm' to him. Nothing has changed," she half-lied.

"If you say so."

"And I do."

"Okay, subject change! Mum wants you to come over for dinner tomorrow night. Plus you haven't told her about your pregnancy. She's probably going to bawl like she did when Harry and I told her."

Hermione groaned. She already had one mother that was over-protective of her, she didn't need another. She loved Molly Weasley. She was like a second mother to her, but she didn't know if she could take all the hugging, crying, and squealing that was going to occur.

Hermione gave Ginny a smile. "I'll, erm, be there."

"Don't sound so enthusiastic, Mione," Ginny said sarcastically.

"Can you blame me? I heard about what happened from Harry when you two told her the news and I've personally witnessed her taking the news when Bill and Fleur told her they were expecting."

Ginny snorted. "That's true. Well, at least you'll be prepared!"

Hermione gave Ginny a baleful look. Ginny just laughed again.

"Don't worry Hermione, everything will be fine!" She tried to reassure her.

**~-O-~**

Everything was _not_ fine! Hermione sat in her chair staring down at the table as if it held all of the secrets of the universe.

"Mione!" Harry called from across the table.

Her head shot up as she looked at him. "Hm?" She hummed.

"I asked you a question."

"Oh. I'm sorry. I'm just…out of it."

"I can see that. What's going on?" He asked leaning over the table.

Hermione leaned over the table as well. "I'm afraid to tell Molly."

Harry tried to stem his laughter. Hermione gave him a pointed look. He tried and failed to suppress his laughter.

"It isn't funny Harry James Potter!"

"You're right. It isn't funny. Molly can be downright frightening sometimes, but you'll be fine. She'll be excited to hear that she'll have another grandchild to spoil."

"Will she really? I mean, this child isn't even remotely related to her and I don't know how she'll take it when she finds out that _this_ came about unconventionally."

"Mione, you're still like a daughter to her even if you aren't dating Ron, you know that. And I'm sure you knew that people would ask questions or think it's strange how you fell pregnant."

Hermione nodded. "You're right."

Harry smiled at her. "I know."

"What are you two whispering about?" Ginny asked from her seat.

Harry and Hermione both leaned back into their chairs.

"Hermione's announcement," Harry answered.

"Hermione dear, you have an announcement?"

Hermione nodded, her cheeks starting to flame. She glared at Harry, but he simply shrugged his shoulders and cocked his head to the side.

"Oh what is it?" Arthur asked from the head of the table.

Hermione gave him a nervous smile. "I'mpregnant."

"What was that dear? I couldn't hear what you said."

"I'm pregnant," Hermione said clearly this time.

The table grew quiet. Hermione felt all eyes on her, but she refuse to look at them. She stared down at the table once again.

"Congratulations!" Molly squealed.

Hermione looked up from the table at the woman. She gave her a small smile. "Thank you."

"Who's the father?" Molly asked.

Hermione bit her lip. "I don't know."

The table grew quiet once again.

"I-I went to a s-sperm bank," she stammered.

The quiet felt quite thick around them.

"Well, that is certainly a shock," Molly said clearing her throat.

Hermione felt like her whole face was aflame. She wanted to crawl under the table and not come out until everyone went into the house.

"I know it's unconventional, but I wanted a baby and this was the solution," Hermione shrugged.

"We aren't judging you, Hermione," Arthur told her. The sincerity in his voice made her look up at him. He gave her a kindly smile.

"Arthur's right Hermione, we aren't judging you. I'm just happy for you. And if you need _anything_ you know you can count on us."

Hermione's smile was genuine as she peered into Molly's eyes. "Thank you!"

"No problem dear. Now, does anyone else have any more life-changing announcements?" Molly asked the table at large.

"Ickle Ronniekins is dating someone!" George spoke up.

All eyes turned to a very red Ron. Hermione's eyebrows rose.

"Who are you dating Ron?" Ginny asked.

His face reddened even more. "Demelza Robins," he muttered.

The younger people at the table burst into laughter.

"You mean the chaser you yelled at in our sixth year?" Harry asked.

Ron's face turned almost maroon.

"Good on you Ron," Hermione said smiling at him.

He gave her an appreciative smile for not taking the piss out of him like everyone else.

"Well, you must bring her to dinner one night. We have to meet her," Molly said.

Ron rolled his eyes at his mother. Hermione smiled at looked around the table at the smiling faces. These people were definitely a second family to her and she didn't know why she was so worried to tell them the news.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>Hi, I'm back! You all inspire me so much to write new chapters! So thank you all so very much! I love you all! Reviews are motivation! xx


	5. It gets Better

**Dear Child**

**Chapter Five**

**It Gets Better**

* * *

><p><em>Month Two<em>

An owl arrived days earlier with a letter from Healer Grant's office. He congratulated her on her pregnancy (he figured since she didn't come back that she must be indeed pregnant). He proceeded to tell her now that she was pregnant that she needed to see Healer Brennan. Hermione had made an appointment with the Healer's office as soon as she could. She would get to finally see the child that was growing inside of her.

The days seemed to fly by as her appointment neared. She was quite excited and couldn't contain her glee. Ginny had told her how the first time she heard her child's heartbeat would be one of the most magical moments of her life. Her mother had confirmed what Ginny had told her. Her mother had offered to go with her, but Hermione declined. She wanted to be alone the first time she heard her child's heartbeat.

And that's exactly how it was as she sat in the waiting room of Healer Brennan's office. She drummed her fingers on her leg. She had already signed in and was now waiting on someone to call her back to a room. She had read every poster on the walls as her nervous energy took over her body. She felt that nothing would be real until she heard the heartbeat.

"Miss Granger?" The secretary called from the open door.

Hermione stood quickly, the blood rushed to her head and she placed a hand to her forehead and closed her eyes. When she felt her head wasn't swimming anymore, she continued to the open door.

"How are you feeling?" The woman leading her to a room asked.

"Fine," Hermione smiled.

"Good, good," she said opening a door to their right letting Hermione in. "Healer Brennan will be with you in a few moments." And she left quickly after that.

Hermione sat on the examining table that she figured she'd get quite used to over the months of her pregnancy. The door opened five minutes later to emit a woman no older than forty with curly brown hair that made Hermione's look frizzier and more chaotic than usual.

"Hello Miss Granger."

"Hello and you can call me Hermione."

"Very well, Hermione. We're just going to check the baby and your health. Just a simple ."

Hermione gave her a smile and nodded.

"Good, now lie back and pull your shirt up to your bra line for me."

Hermione complied with Healer Brennan's orders and waited for the cool gel that she knew was coming. She didn't have to wait long and no matter how much she prepared herself for the feel of it she couldn't help but clench her teeth together and shiver.

"I know. I can never get used to the stuff either," Healer Brennan smiled at Hermione.

Hermione relaxed at her words. Healer Brennan pulled the ultrasound machine closer to the examining table.

"Ready?" She smiled kindly at her.

"Yes," Hermione consented.

"Here we go."

Hermione felt her spread the gel over her taunt stomach. Hermione gave another involuntary shiver. She watched Healer Brennan move the machine around her stomach. She didn't watch Healer Grant when he did this to check out of womb, but she had read about it in her spare time.

"Oh, I think we have something!"

Hermione's eyes snapped up to the monitor of the machine. She squinted her eyes to see what Healer Brennan saw that she didn't.

"Where?" Hermione asked, her cheeks instantly reddening after the question left her mouth.

"Right there," Healer Brennan pointed out on the screen. "Your baby is quite tiny right now. You're only 6 weeks in according to what Healer Grant said so it's quite tiny. But we should be able to hear the baby's heartbeat today."

Hermione couldn't help the smile that came over her face.

"Let me just turn up the sound and-"

The most wonderful sound was heard from the ultrasound machine. A quick fluttering _wah-wup_ noise filled the room. Hermione stared at the monitor, at the formless blob on the screen that was no bigger than a pen point, that happened to be the child she was nurturing. Tears sprang to her eyes as she continued to stare.

"I-it's beautiful," she whispered.

"It is. It's a very strong heartbeat," Healer Brennan told her. "Would you like for me to print out a picture?"

Hermione nodded her head enthusiastically. Healer Brennan smiled at her and proceeded to print out a picture. She handed Hermione the photo and a towel to wipe herself off.

Hermione wiped the sticky gel from her abdomen, pulled her shirt back down, and sat up. She clutched the picture between her hands and stared. There wasn't much to see, but the black and white picture meant the world to her.

"Everything looks great so far. Your due date is March 8th. I want you to come back to see me in seven weeks. Then we should be able to see what sex the baby is."

Hermione gave her a smile. "Thank you," she told her wiping the tears from her cheeks.

"Of course, dear. Now off you go."

Hermione slid off of the table and walked out of the office and out into the sunshine.

**~-O-~**

"Hermione," Ron called to her.

She looked up from her desk and saw her redheaded best friend standing there, an uncertain look upon his face.

"Hullo Ron. What's going on?"

He looked down at his feet and then back up at Hermione. "Theodore Nott was found dead."

Hermione's mind reeled. "_What_?" She shrieked.

Ron took a deep breath. "He was found in his house this morning. We've recovered his body, but we don't know what happened yet. I'll keep you updated."

"Does Malfoy know?" Hermione asked searching his face.

She felt nauseous. Theodore Nott was very much alive weeks before. She knew that he was still torn up about his mother's untimely death, but he was alive. She also knew that he had been living with Malfoy. Oh Merlin, Malfoy! How was he taking this? Where was he? She hadn't seen him all morning.

"I don't know."

Hermione stood from her desk and raced down to Malfoy's office. She heard Ron calling after her, but she didn't heed his words. All she could do was think of Malfoy and if he was all right.

She knocked on his office door and waited impatiently for him to open it. She sucked her bottom lip into her mouth and bit it softly, let it go, and repeated the process again. She pressed her ear to the door, but she didn't hear anything. Hermione reached for the doorknob, but discovered it to be locked.

"Miss Granger?" She heard a voice behind her say her name.

She whirled around and discovered Draco's secretary standing there timidly behind her.

"Is Malfoy in?" Hermione asked the mousy woman.

"No Miss. He hasn't been in all morning."

Hermione cursed under her breath. "Okay, thank you."

The woman looked at her for a moment until she scurried away to her desk. Hermione thought quickly about where he could be. His Manor more than likely, but she couldn't-wouldn't go there. She hoped he was somewhere in Diagon Alley. She felt compelled to find him. Of course he would tell her to sod off and leave him, but she just needed to know how he was taking this. He decided to take Nott on as a roommate to protect him. What had gone wrong. What if something happened to Draco as well.

Hermione's mind went into panic mode. She raced off to Vivian's office. She opened the door and froze when she saw Draco Malfoy sitting there talking quietly to Vivian. Both sets of odd colored eyes looked up at her. Hermione's cheeks flared with color and her breathing started to slow.

"Erm-sorry," she stated plainly.

"Was there something you needed, Miss Granger?" Vivian asked in her usually pseudo-nice voice.

Hermione looked from Vivian to Malfoy and back again.

"Well, I'm done speaking with Vivian, so if you need to speak to her privately go ahead," Malfoy drawled as he stood to leave.

"No. No, I-it's fine. I was actually looking for you," she said looking up at him.

His eyebrow quirked. "Me?"

She nodded not trusting her voice.

"I see. Well, it'll have to wait. I was just about to take my lunch. I'll be back in an hour."

"Oh, all right," Hermione faltered.

Draco gave her another suspicious look before turning on his heels and leaving the office. Hermione watched him walk a few feet away before she went after him.

"Malfoy, wait!"

He stopped mid-stride, but didn't turn around.

"Do you mind if I join you?" Hermione questioned.

He looked over his shoulder. He looked as if he was battling with himself. "I suppose," he muttered.

Hermione was shocked that he even agreed albeit reluctantly to her joining him for lunch.

"Thank you," she said quietly as she caught up to him.

They walked in silence all the way out of the Ministry and to the Leaky Cauldron. Again Hermione was shocked that he picked this place instead of something better. He sat down at a the bar, Hermione sitting down next to him. She was glad he picked to sit at the bar. It wasn't as awkward and definitely wasn't as intimate.

Hannah Abbott-Longbottom walked over to them, a cheerful smile on her face. Hermione smiled back at her former classmate.

"Hello Hannah," Hermione greeted cheerfully.

"Hello. And hello to you Malfoy."

He nodded his head at her.

"What can I get you?"

"I'll have some tea and BLT sandwich," Hermione answered.

"I'll have a firewhiskey," Draco spoke up.

Hannah nodded and walked away. She came back with his firewhiskey and Hermione's tea a moment later. Quiet lapsed between them once again. Hermione didn't know how to bring up the subject at hand, but she cleared her throat anyway. Draco didn't look up from his drink so she tried again. He peered sideways at her.

"If you drink your tea I'm sure that scratch in your throat will go away," he drawled.

"Ha-ha. No, I was trying to catch your attention."

"And you could have easily done that if you simply spat out what you wanted to say. Obviously it was quite urgent if you busted into Vivian's office as if you owned the place. So out with it Granger," he demanded.

Hermione sat up straighter on her stool. Hannah came back to give her the sandwich she ordered. Hermione took a bite of it and almost gagged. She chewed quickly, holding her breath the whole time, and swallowed. She moved the foul tasting sandwich away from her before she turned to address Draco to discover that he was already watching her.

"I assume you know about Nott," Hermione said in her coolest of voices.

He nodded. "Yes. I believe the whole department knows about Nott."

"And...how do you feel about all of it?"

He looked at her before turning to grab his firewhiskey and gulping it down easily. Hermione cringed at the thought of the warm liquid going down in such a large quantity. She had tried firewhiskey years ago and could never quite take the burning sensation it left after it traveled to your stomach.

"Well, I'm obviously not jumping for joy because he's dead. Sure Nott and I weren't exactly friends during our school years nor were we friends after the war, but I never wished him harm."

Hermione nodded. "I never knew him, but he never seemed like a bad person despite the household he grew up in."

"I'm almost frightened to know what you think of me despite the household I grew up in," Draco sneered.

"Honestly, I'm still trying to figure you out."

He raised an eyebrow at her before ordering another firewhiskey. After Hannah handed him another one, he looked at her again. The look on his face was one of calculation and curiosity. She had never seen him like this, trying to figure her out. It was a bit unnerving.

"Do you think it a good idea to get sloshed during lunch?" She changed the subject.

"I'm not going back to work today. Vivian told me to take the day off saying that it would be better for me," he scoffed. "I rather do work than sit around my bloody Manor and think about where it all went wrong."

Hermione took in his words. "Why'd you say you were going on your lunch break then?"

"So everyone could hear that Vivian put me in time out to 'recuperate'?" He fumed. "I think not."

"What happened?"

"I figured you were going to hound me about this as soon as you burst into her office. If you must know," he gulped his drink, "Nott was staying with me. You knew that already. Anyway, he wanted to go back to his home. I told him that it wouldn't be a good idea and that I wouldn't be able to protect him. Of course his bloody pride got in the way and he _insisted_ that he would be fine. And growing up the way that we had, getting help is a sign of weakness. I'm surprised the bastard decided to take me up on my offer at all. But he went back to his house and I wrote to him just last night. And I find out that he's dead this morning. Someone either had to be watching his house and just waited for him to return or they knew that he was returning somehow. Unless he was in correspondence with someone, I don't know how they knew."

"Ron told me that they recovered his body, but they haven't looked it over yet."

"I suppose they haven't yet with the department sending out aurors to somehow catch someone they have no idea who they're looking for."

"This is madness. I wonder if I could be there when they look over his body."

Draco wrinkled his nose. "You'll have to ask Vivian about that. And you should probably head back soon. Your break's almost over."

"And what about you?"

"I think I'm going to have one more drink before I leave."

"And go where?"

Draco gave Hermione a leveled look. "Granger, you're not my mum. I can take care of myself."

"With these random deaths happening-" Draco cut her off.

"Granger, I'm fine. Now leave before now before you're late. I'll pay for your tea and your sandwich you only took a bite of. Now go," he dismissed.

She looked at him for a moment longer before turning away and leaving the pub. She looked at him once more before shutting the door behind her. He looked like he was some lost little boy. He was right, he hadn't been close to Nott, but it didn't mean he didn't blame himself for his death. He didn't say it, but she could hear it in the undertones of his voice. Hermione wanted nothing more to tell Draco Malfoy that it wasn't his fault and that they would find this person who killed the Nott family, but she knew he would never accept her words.

**~-O-~**

Ginny and Harry informed Hermione that she was invited (demanded really) to come to the next Weasley dinner which was taking place that night. Hermione didn't mind much considering she used to spend oodles of time there over the summers, but tonight was going to be different. Ron's girlfriend was joining them.

Hermione didn't really know much about Ron's girlfriend Demelza Robins except that she played on the Quidditch team, was a year younger, and Ronald had yelled at the poor girl during their sixth year. Hermione usually knew all of the students in her year and the ones a year below her, but she had no idea what to expect from this girl.

It was almost 6 o'clock and dinner would be starting any moment, so Hermione made her way to the floo to get to the Weasley's on time. Once she emerged from their fireplace, she brushed soot from her clothes and headed to the backyard where she could hear laughter and boisterous voices.

"Hermione!" They yelled when she arrived.

"Hello everyone," she waved as she sat down in her usual spot.

"How are you feeling dear?" Molly asked from her chair.

"I'm feeling fine, actually."

"Unlike me, she isn't throwing up after every meal," Ginny smiled bitterly.

"Oh Gin, it'll go away soon."

"Let us hope."

"Where's Ron and Demezla?" Hermione asked Harry and Ginny.

"They should be here any moment," Harry answered.

And they did arrive moments later with two cracks in the distance. Hermione could feel the nervous energy flowing around the table. She could see from where she was sitting that Ron and Demezla walked through the kitchen and would soon be outside to greet them.

The door opened and Hermione craned her neck to get a look at the girl. She was of average height with curves from what Hermione could see of her. She had wavy brown hair that hung around her shoulders that framed her face and kind blue eyes. She was pretty and Hermione didn't feel even a twinge of jealousy. She often wondered if Ron dated someone else if she would feel anything and this proved it. She felt nothing. She was genuinely happy for her best friend.

Ron's face was already tinged red as he made his way to the table. He cleared his throat.

"Everyone, this is Demezla, Demezla this is everyone," he muttered.

"Hullo!" She said brightly.

Everyone greeted her. Ron sat down a few seats away from Hermione, Demezla sitting in front of him.

"How long have you and Ronald been dating?" Molly asked the woman.

"Oh, not very long, a month."

Molly nodded her head. "We had no idea until George spilled the beans. How did the two of you meet?"

"Mum!" Ron scolded through clenched teeth.

Demezla just laughed. "It's ok Ron. I don't mind. We meet at the Ministry. I don't work in the same department, I work in Muggle Relations. We shared an elevator and we seemed to run into each other more after that."

Hermione's attention snapped to the woman's down the table. She was shocked to say the least.

"That's great."

Molly kept drilling Demezla with questions while Ron stared down at his plate and ate. He barely said a word as Demezla prattled on. Hermione watched Ron's behavior and wondered what was going on with him. She would have to speak to him soon.

When dinner was over, Hermione helped Ginny in the kitchen while everyone else stayed outside and chatted.

"So what do you think about Ron's girlfriend?" Ginny asked setting the dishes up to wash themselves.

"She's fine. Did you notice Ron's behavior at the table?"

"Mhmm. I wonder what was up with that. I suppose he never really brought anyone home to meet the family besides you, but we already knew you by the time you two started dating."

"True. I'll have to see what's going on. He's been acting strange lately."

"You've noticed that too? Whenever Harry asks he always says he's fine."

Hermione let out a hum. "I see. Well, I suppose I'll have to try," she said drying the last dish with her wand.

"Better you than me," Ginny smiled at her.

"Thanks Gin."

"Anytime."

* * *

><p><strong>A<strong>**uthor's note: **Hello! Have I mentioned you're all wonderful? Well, you're all bloody wonderful! I love you all! Thanks for the reviews and such! Anyway, I feel better after this fic now that I've mapped the important things out. So, updates should be easier for me now. Anyway, reviews are love!


	6. Rolled Together

**Dear Child**

**Chapter Six**

**Rolled Together**

* * *

><p><em>Month three<em>

"Vivian wants to see us in her office," said Draco one morning in August.

Hermione looked up at the blond standing at the frame of her door. She hadn't really spoken to him outside of work since she went to the Leaky Cauldron two weeks ago. He seemed like he was fine, but again the question of would she truly know if something was wrong with him crossed her mind. And she knew that she probably wouldn't.

"Did we do something wrong?" Hermione asked standing up.

"Maybe you did, but I know I have been an impeccable employee."

She eyed him for a moment before she followed him out of the office and down the hall. Draco rapped his knuckles on Vivian's door before turning the knob and walking in. Vivian was sitting at her desk, her hands upon her lap and a look that told Hermione she was expecting them. Hermione sat down in the closest seat to her and Draco sat gracefully in his.

"You wanted to see us?" Draco drawled.

"I did. I have news for the two of you."

Draco quirked an eyebrow and Hermione waited for Vivian to bestow the news upon them.

"I'm officially making you two partners. You both have great work ethic and you seem to work together quite well," she almost sounded surprised.

Draco's eyebrow lowered and he sat up in his chair more. "That's all?"

Vivian nodded her head.

"Well, I figure we kind of were anyway," Hermione blushed.

"As did I," Draco said.

"Well, I felt it was necessary to tell you since you'll be looking over Theodore Nott's body today. I'm making you both lead investigators of this case. And you need to know everything you can about this."

Hermione gulped, but nodded at Vivian's words.

"Very good. You are dismissed. They should be going over his body in a half hour."

Draco was the first to get up from his chair, Hermione following his lead.

"Well you got your wish," Draco said walking ahead of her.

"What's that?"

"You wanted to be there when they observed his body."

"Yeah," Hermione said lamely. She had said she did want to see Nott's body, but part of her didn't. Yes she lived through one of the world's most horrific wars, but nothing would ever prepare her to see a dead body. It always unsettled her, but she knew taking this job that it may come to that and she agreed to it. But now that she was faced with the very real possibility, it made her stomach flip.

Hermione caught up with Draco as they made their way out of the Ministry and to St. Mungo's. They took the lift to the basement where the morgue was located. When the lift doors open, Hermione felt that every hospital basement was naturally creepy. The lighting was dim and sparse. Hermione tried not to look around and simply followed Draco.

He stopped at the first door on the left. He knocked before opening it. Hermione peeked around him. The mortician was standing there in his sterile, white attire.

"You must be Malfoy and Granger," he said matter-of-factly.

"We are. And your name?"

"Hopkins. Kirk Hopkins," he said making no move to shake either one of their hands.

Hermione and Draco both seemed relieved.

"If you'll put on the proper attire, we'll get started." He pointed behind them at the white smocks and hats to cover their hair.

The two of them grabbed a smock and a hat and quickly put them on. Kirk handed them gloves and nodded to them.

"Do you need a mask to cover your face?" He asked both of them.

Draco shook his head no and Hermione nodded yes. The smells of the different chemicals were already getting to her. Kirk handed her a mask and she quickly placed the strings behind her ears.

"Ready?"

Draco and Hermione both nodded.

Kirk took out his wand and started muttering spells.

"What are you checking for?" Hermione piped up.

"I'm seeing if there were any spells cast upon the victim."

Hermione nodded and Draco arched an eyebrow at her. She shrugged. Her natural affinity to ask questions hadn't died in the years she graduated Hogwarts. He turned his head away from her and looked back at Kirk and the body of Theodore Nott. Hermione did the same.

It was so strange to see the man she had been acquainted with again after years of figuring him dead to actually being dead in front of her. She knew that death wouldn't stop after the war, but seeing lifeless bodies was something she could never get used to. She didn't know Theodore Nott on a personal level, but seeing him dead like this in front of her made her want cry.

She watched as Kirk continued waving his wand, muttering to himself and to the quill and parchment that was following him around. He finally ceased his wand waving and looked up at Hermione and Draco as if this was the first time he noticed them.

"It wasn't any sort of magic that killed Theodore Nott," he told them.

"Are you saying he was killed using Muggle methods?" Hermione asked.

"It seems that way. There aren't any physical abrasions on his body. I'll have to test his blood for poisons."

Draco and Hermione both nodded.

Kirk took out a syringe and inserted into Theodore's vein in his left arm. Once he filled the syringe and took it and put the blood in a vial. Kirk took out his wand and muttered over it. The blood turned a murky green color. Kirk's eyebrows rose.

"Interesting," he said.

"What does that mean?" Draco asked this time.

"It means that Mr. Nott was indeed poisoned. Which is quite strange. It's not just any poison, it was rat poison."

"And not just any wizard or witch would know about that. Not many witches or wizards would resort to using such Muggle tactics."

"Exactly. Again, interesting."

"Thank you, Kirk. We have all we need so we'll be heading back to the office."

Kirk dipped his head at them in farewell.

Draco walked out of the morgue first with Hermione hot on his heels.

"This case is becoming a lot more complicated," Hermione said breathing heavily behind him.

"Mhmm," was all Draco said.

"And it could be _anyone_! Thinking about where to start is mind boggling!"

"Mhmm," he said again.

"Aren't you even curious at _all_ why someone would use a Muggle method to kill an ex-Death Eater?" She asked incredulously.

Draco whirled around-Hermione almost running into his chest-and glared down at her. If Hermione wasn't used to his glares by now, she would have backed up and folded in on herself.

"Granger, we're discussing a case that could be bigger than we know it to be and you want to discuss it in _St. Mungo's_? This is _not_ the place to start talking about this. Can't you wait two minutes until we get back in the Ministry and into our fucking offices?" He snapped.

Hermione looked into his eyes, dark grey, cloudy, and specks of electric blue. She gulped.

"You're right," she finally said.

Draco gave her another cold look before shaking his head. He turned gracefully on his heel and continued to walk. Hermione followed behind him, but at a slower pace.

He _was_ right. She was just excited, a bit confused, and most of all curious about this case. He could be right; this thing was starting to feel that it was bigger than previously thought.

**~-O-~**

Hermione felt like she was living the night she got ridiculously sloshed and ended up spending the night on her bathroom floor. That was years ago and she never trust Ron Weasley to get her drinks again. She felt the same way she did that night, but this time without drinking a drop of alcohol. Morning sickness.

Morning sickness was running rampant through her body now. Ginny had been wrong; she was not one of the lucky ones. It just came later than one would have expected. Hermione felt that she could finally stop hugging her toilet and wash her mouth out.

She looked at herself in the mirror. She was pale, her eyes lost the sparkle they usually held, and she looked like hell. And today was the day she, her mother, Ginny, and Molly were supposed to go baby shopping. What a great day to start _this_.

She heard Ginny coming through the floo. Hermione brushed her teeth quickly and walked out into her den.

"Hey, Gin," Hermione sighed.

"Hey. Are you feeling all right? No offense, but you look like hell."

"Thanks. I'll be fine. Oh, and you were wrong. I am not lucky. I started puking this morning," she said sitting down on the couch.

"Oh, you poor thing."

"Mhmm," she hummed.

"Are you sure going on with our mothers will be a good idea? We can always reschedule."

"I'll be fine, Gin. Mum should be here soon. Are we meeting your mum in Diagon Alley?"

"We are."

Hermione nodded. The doorbell rang and Ginny went to open the door.

"Hello Mrs. Granger!" Ginny said cheerfully.

"Hello Ginny! How are you feeling? Hermione told me you were pregnant as well. Have you found out what you're having?"

"I'm feeling quite fine, thank you. And no, not yet. Another week and we'll be able to find out."

Ginny moved out of the doorway and let Hermione's mother into her flat. Hermione smiled at her mother as she made her way into the den.

"How are you feeling, darling?" She asked, leaning down to hug her.

"A bit sick, but other than that I'm fine," Hermione said hugging her mother back.

"Morning sickness finally caught up to you?"

"Yeah."

She placed a hand on her daughter's cheek. "Aww, I'm sorry dear. If you wanted to do this another time when you're feeling better, we can."

Hermione chuckled. "Gin said the same thing, but I'll be fine. Let's go so we can meet Molly."

Ginny was the first one to depart as she took a pinch of powder and called out the Leaky Cauldron. Hermione and her mother went next.

They stood in the Leaky Cauldron brushing soot off of their clothes. Ginny and Molly were standing at the back of the pub. Hermione and her mother walked over to them.

"Hello Hermione," Molly greeted. "And hello there Jane."

"Hello," Hermione and her mother both said.

"Shall we?" Hermione asked before heading out of the Leaky Cauldron and into the sunshine. Hermione tapped the bricks that would lead them into Diagon Alley.

After the archway opened, the group walked through it.

"The shop should be by Madam Malkins," Ginny informed them.

They walked through the busy street to Baby Emporium. Molly opened the door and let everyone walk in before following. As soon as they walked in, a woman in bright orange robes walked over to them with a large grin plastered on her face.

"Hello!"

"Hello," the group said collectively.

"What can I help you with today?"

"Well, Ginny and I," Hermione gestured towards the redhead, "need to get the essentials."

"Yes, cribs, nappies, rocking chairs, etcetera," Ginny chimed in.

"Very well. Look around and if you need anything just call for me. My name's Galinda."

As soon as the woman walked away, Hermione couldn't help but giggle. Ginny and Molly looked at her questioningly.

"It's a Muggle thing," Hermione said by ways of explaining.

Ginny and Molly nodded their heads knowing that sometimes explaining Muggle things took a long time and therefore the point is lost.

Hermione and Ginny walked towards the back of the building to the cribs. There were so many models, colors, and functions the cribs could do. Hermione was overwhelmed. She had no idea that magical cribs were so complicated. With the case becoming so complicated, she didn't have time to research them.

Jane walked up to Hermione's side. "I never knew picking a crib was so...complicated."

"Me either," Hermione laughed.

"Have you found anything that has caught your eye?"

Hermione looked at the one that they were currently standing in front of now. "I kind of like this one. It's...simple as magical cribs can be, I suppose."

Jane looked at the crib. It was made of cherry wood. It was a fairly decent sized crib with long bars that looked twisted and old. The head and foot of the crib were higher than the bars with an intricate tree design at the top. The charms on the crib were simple as well. The baby couldn't be able to get its head stuck in the bars nor would it be able to climb out of the crib when it got older. Hermione thought it was perfect.

"I like it too."

Hermione smiled at her mother. "I'll just call over Galinda and have her add it to my list."

Before Hermione could call the woman in question, she was rushing over to her. "Did you need something?"

Hermione looked at the woman before nodding her head. "I do. I want to buy this crib. I'm not done yet, but I was hoping you could take it to the front until I'm done."

"Yes, I can do that," the witch said taking out her wand to shrink the crib before caring to the till.

Hermione and Jane walked around some more looking for a changing table (which they found one that matched the crib perfectly), a bassinet (which they found a perfect one that was gender neutral), nappies, and of course clothes.

Hermione had fun picking out the clothes. She couldn't get over how tiny they were.

"You were about that size when I had you," Jane told her daughter.

"It's almost hard to believe that the baby will be this small."

"Just wait until you hold him or her for the first time. Have you thought of names?"

Hermione shook her head. "Not yet."

Jane nodded her head. They took the rest of their purchases to the front of the store. Ginny and Molly walked up to the till at the same time they did.

"Find everything?" Hermione asked Ginny.

"Everything I'll need for now. Harry and I can pick up anything else we may need. Did you get everything?"

"Everything I'll need for now," Hermione smiled.

Ginny laughed.

The girls paid for their purchases despite their mothers protests. They wanted to pay for _something_, but Hermione and Ginny said they could buy them something for their baby showers. They reluctantly agreed.

"Are you all hungry? We could go to lunch," Molly asked.

Hermione and Ginny agreed readily and Jane said she could grab a bite.

They all went to the Leaky Cauldron and sat down in one of the booths. Hermione spotted Hannah and waved. She waved back before coming from around the bar to take their orders. Once she took them and brought back their drinks, the four were settled into the booth comfortably.

"I can't wait to decorate!" Ginny squealed.

"Me too!" Hermione said. Having the things she would need for her unborn child made Hermione feel the excitement that most mother's felt. She really was excited to decorate.

"Do you or Harry want a boy or a girl?" Jane asked Ginny.

"I don't mind either way, but Harry's stuck on the fact that the baby's a boy."

Hermione smiled coyly at her. "Of course he'd want a boy first."

Ginny laughed. "Of course, but something tells me he's right."

"What about you, Hermione, boy or girl?" Molly asked this time.

"I don't know. I'd be happy with either, but I suppose if I had to pick I'm hoping for a girl."

"Aw!" Ginny cooed. "How adorable would it be if you had a girl and we had a boy. They could be the best of friends."

Hermione laughed. "Don't get _too_ ahead of yourself, Gin. We don't even know what they are yet nonetheless if they'll be the best of friends."

Ginny sighed dreamily. "You're right, but I can't help but think about it."

Their food came moments later and they were all too busy eating to talk. Once the meal was over, their mothers paid the bill insisting it was the least they could do.

Hermione and Jane said their goodbyes to Molly and Ginny before flooing back to Hermione's flat. Hermione and her mother carried everything into Hermione's guest bedroom that she had often used as a library and office. She set down the bags that contained the baby furniture.

"Aren't you going to set it up?"

"No, not yet. I have to go through everything in here first before I can start nesting."

Jane gave her daughter a smile and a pat on the cheek. "If you need me or your father to help, you know we'll be there."

Hermione smiled. "I know mum. And I know I'll need help once I start clearing out that room. Plus, I'll need a place to put my books."

Jane laughed. "Of course. But I'm heading home now."

"Okay. Thank you for coming with me today."

"No problem, dear."

"See you."

"Bye," she said heading to the door and leaving.

Hermione walked into her den before collapsing on the couch. She closed her eyes and decided to take a nap.

**~-O-~**

Thursday morning was already turning into a terrible day. She had been sick all morning and afternoon. She was sitting at her desk writing a report on what had happened the day at the morgue when Draco knocked at her door. Hermione finished her sentence and looked up.

"What's going on?"

"Kirk found something else with Nott's body," he said without emotion.

"What did they find?"

"He wasn't just poisoned, but he was also shot with a Muggle contraption, a g-gun?"

"I thought that Kirk said there were no physical abrasions?"

"He missed it. Whoever did this, it seemed like they tried to heal it."

"But you can't heal a dead body."

"I suppose he wasn't dead then."

Hermione sat there in her chair. Not only was Theodore Nott poisoned, but also shot. Hermione felt nauseous. This was becoming something a lot more complicated than she thought it could ever. Muggle methods of killing. The nausea grew. Hermione thought it was just from the case and stress, but no, she was actually going to throw up.

She knew she wasn't going to make it to the loo, so she hurried to her trashcan that was located several feet from Draco. Hermione grabbed the can and violently puked into the can. Once the nausea passed, she refused to look up at Draco.

"Are you all right, Granger?" She could hear the disgust in his voice.

"Fine. Just...fine."

"Right. Well, Vivian will want to hear about this. So come when you're presentable."

Draco left the office quickly as Hermione hurried to scrogify her basket and her mouth.

How embarrassing.

* * *

><p><strong>Author note: <strong>Hello! Sorry I was totally going to have this up last night, but I got caught up in watching John & Hank Green videos. They are ridiculously addicting. Anyway, I just wanted to say sorry! And I think when the time comes when Hermione has to pick names, I think I'm going to ask all of you. But thank you all for reviewing, favoriting, and alerting. You are all lovely. Keep it up! Reviews are love.


	7. What You Know

**Dear Child**

**Chapter Seven**

**What You Know**

* * *

><p><em>Month Four<em>

Sitting in Vivian's office was starting to get old pretty fast. Hermione felt like she was sitting in the principal's office waiting to be lectured for doing something terribly wrong. And maybe she was going to be lectured for something. One never knew when it came to Vivian. Plus, Hermione had to sit next to Draco after she rid her stomach of its contents right in front of his very grey eyes. Her cheeks tinged as the memory flitted past her eyes. She wanted to groan out loud, but she felt that Draco would think she was going to heave again, so she refrained.

Vivian sat prim and proper at her desk. Her crimson lipstick was immaculate as was everything else about her. Hermione felt a bit intimated sitting there in front of her.

"As you heard, Nott's body was found shot as well," Vivian spoke.

Hermione and Draco both nodded.

"There was no magic used on him, which is strange. We have no suspects. Hermione," she said looking over at her.

Hermione looked back; Vivian's light-colored eyes x-rayed her soul-or that's how Hermione felt anyway. "Yes?"

"You know Muggle law enforcement better than we would. Is there a way that you could incorporate their methods into the case since Nott was killed using Muggle methods?"

Hermione was a bit taken aback by the request. She never thought that the Department would _need_ any sort of Muggle methods. It was the _Wizarding world_. The place that didn't need help from Muggles. If Voldermort was rolling in his grave as they sat there. He would die again if he knew that they needed help from Muggles. Hermione almost wanted to laugh, almost.

"I suppose I could."

Draco made a noise next to her. Her eyes snapped to his profile. He wore his usual stern expression, but he didn't look her way.

"Do you have something you need to say, Malfoy?" Hermione asked coldly.

He finally turned his eye orbs to her brown ones. "Matter of fact, I do," he sneered.

She wanted to punch him in his sneering face . All of the things she uncovered about him over the few months she had to work with him, slowly seemed to disappear. She felt like the old Draco Malfoy was looking at her at that moment and all she could think about was them back at school trading insults. Hermione had to bite her tongue.

"Then please, enlighten us," she spoke every syllable carefully.

He smirked at her, but turned to Vivian, who seemed to be watching the two with interest, "can't we do the same thing? I've seen a few Muggle shows and they just check for finger prints and blood spray?"

Hermione raised an eyebrow at his confession. Where had Malfoy sat down and watched a tele? Hermione felt curiosity take over her body, the anger simmering a bit.

Vivian was thinking about Draco's question. "I suppose we could. You'll have to go investigate Nott's home and see what you can find."

Draco and Hermione nodded.

"You're dismissed. And going to the Nott Manor would be better if you went as soon as possible."

Hermione and Draco left the office after that. Draco closed to the door behind him. He turned to Hermione and looked her over. She felt ridiculous standing there as his calculative eyes roamed over her form. She wanted to scream "what" at him just to make him stop, but Draco Malfoy was no ordinary man. He did as he pleased and if it irritated someone in the process, the better.

"Are you _sure_ you'll be up for this?" He drawled.

"Yes, I'm sure. I'm just stressed!" She bit back.

"I can tell," he smirked.

Her eyes narrowed at him. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Oh nothing, Granger," he taunted.

"Tell me what the hell you mean."

Draco stopped and looked at her. "And you rip my head off for swearing in a work environment and here you are, perfect Granger, swearing. What has gotten into you? Besides the fact that it looks like you've been gorging yourself on sweets, you seem different."

Hermione felt self-conscious. She didn't think she seemed any different besides the fact that she was carrying her child, but Malfoy didn't need to know that. Why would she give him any more ammunition to use against her?

"Oh, sod off. Let's just go investigate Nott's house," she said starting to walk away.

Draco put his hands in his trouser pockets and walked behind her whistling a tune. Hermione ground her teeth in annoyance. She was going to kill him today.

They arrived at Nott Manor via floo after Hermione adamantly told Draco that she would not apparate there. She had to skirt around the reason why, but he finally relented after ten minutes. He wasn't happy and was grumbling by the time they exited the fireplace. Hermione bit the inside of her cheek to stop herself from letting him have it. It was time to be professional and she couldn't help that Draco lacked such professionalism. That was a lie as soon as she thought it. He was ridiculously professional, but just not at the moment.

"_I'll_ check upstairs this time. You can rut around down here," he told her.

Hermione didn't say anything, but simply nodded and took out her wand. She walked around the room examining inch by inch. She levitated anything that she needed to see. She refused to touch it for the mere fact that her fingerprints would contaminate possible evidence. She examined everything with a critical eye.

Once she deemed everything downstairs as clean, she walked up the stairs tiredly. She looked room after room for Draco. She came to the room that held the secret room they found on their first visit there. Hermione walked through the closet feeling like a character from _The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe_.

She walked into the musky room. She felt her stomach flip and quickly held her breath as she made her way through it to the stairs. She climbed them as quickly as her tired legs could carry her. The door at the top was ajar and Hermione slipped inside. She found Draco sitting on the floor casting a spell she had never seen before.

The items next to him seemed to light up from the inside illuminating it in a way that showed every speck of dirt and watermark. Hermione realized he had figured out a spell that would do everything a Muggle investigator would.

"Wow, that's amazing," she said astonished by his sheer intelligence.

Draco whipped around and looked at her. "I know," he said flatly that brooked no nonsense.

Hermione quieted and continued to watch him. His face was one of complete concentration. Once the light dissipated, it was completely quiet in the room. Hermione was itching to ask a million questions. Draco stood and turned to look at her.

"What did you find?"

Draco sighed. "I found Nott's glass that probably held the poison. We won't know until I brew a few potions and then see what I can find, but I can't find anything else. There has to be _something_ though," he said looking around the room as if something was going to jump out at him.

"That is very strange," Hermione mused. "Wait. Wait a moment," Hermione said holding up a hand.

Draco looked at her to say that he wasn't going anywhere.

"Nott wasn't stupid. He was fairly intelligent and I _highly_ doubt he would let just anyone in his home. He knew there was someone that killed his mother and he wouldn't play fast and loose with his life, right?" Hermione looked up at Draco for confirmation.

Draco looked at her for a moment. "I don't know. If the person that killed his mother wanted to bargain with him, I'm sure he'd go for it. She was the only person he had left."

"That's not true. He had you."

"Again, pride becomes an issue. It's the chink in every Pureblood's armor."

Hermione bit her lip. She felt she was onto something. "Regardless, I think it would be someone he knew. I don't think he would let the killer in to his home. If he wanted to meet him _or_ her in a public place. He had to know this person."

Draco placed his hand on his chin. Hermione was waiting for him to sit down and place his elbow on his knee to look like a real life _Thinker_, but he didn't.

"You may be right. Let's get back and let's see if I can find anything from this cup."

Hermione nodded and they walked back to the ground floor to the fireplace to floo back to work.

**~-O-~**

Hermione looked at herself in the mirror in the bathroom at the Burrow. Malfoy's comment about her weight had really got to her and she didn't like that for two reasons, she was finally starting to gain weight and it would start to become noticeable that she was pregnant and Draco Malfoy's words meant something to her.

She didn't like that implication at all. Draco Malfoy's words meant nothing to her. They had hurt her when she was a child, but that was because she had never met a boy that was relentless like he was. But it made no sense. They weren't children anymore and his words shouldn't matter anymore. At least that's how Hermione thought about it.

She looked at her face in the mirror again. She didn't see much of a change, but not everyone's face changed when they gained weight. She looked down at her torso. She was sure her breasts were starting to enlarge and she didn't mind that so much, but Draco was right. She could see that her stomach protruded more. Her baby bump was modest. She could get away with larger robes or a glamour.

A glamour would work while she was at work. She let out a groan as she thought of her job. She supposed she should let Vivian know soon that she was pregnant. And she supposed she should switch Departments soon. She wouldn't be able to go investigate places now that she was pregnant. Things could be potentially dangerous and she couldn't put herself at risk like she used to. But she could worry about that later.

Today was Ginny's baby shower. She and Harry would be announcing what sex the baby was. Hermione was excited to find out. It was going to be great day, she could feel it. She gave herself one more look before opening the bathroom door and heading to the kitchen where everyone was laughing, snacking, or talking.

Hermione spotted Harry talking to Charlie. Hermione sidled up to him and wrapped an arm around his waist. Charlie gave her a smile before telling Harry he'd talk to him later.

"Hey," Harry greeted.

"Hi," she smiled. "So, how are you taking all of _this_?" Hermione gestured to the den and kitchen.

"All right I suppose. It's just another Weasley get together, but centered around my unborn child."

Hermione laughed. "Are you excited to tell everyone what you're having?"

Harry's mouth twisted into a smile.

"I take that as a yes and that you got your wish."

Harry's smile morphed into a grin. "Possibly."

"You are horrible at keeping secrets and I'm surprised you kept it this long; a whole month."

"Well, erm, Ginny made me promise not to say anything until the shower."

"And you listened?"

"I had no choice. That woman is wicked with her wand sometimes."

Hermione giggled. "That's true."

They stood there and looked around the room. All the people they knew and loved were standing or sitting somewhere nearby. It was a warm feeling that came over Hermione. Everything would be fine. She would help with the case as much as she could before she transferred and she and her child would be fine.

Ginny motioned for Harry to come over to her. He let go of Hermione and walked over to his wife. She took his hand and told the room to quiet down. Everyone complied and waited for what they had to say.

"I want to thank you all for coming. It means a lot to the both of us. And we wanted to tell everyone the sex of the baby," she said as she looked up at Harry and gave him a giant smile.

The crowd took a collective breath and waited.

"We're having...a boy!" Ginny squealed.

The crowd broke into congratulations and joyous yelling. Hermione smiled at them and gave them a thumbs up. It would be impossible to walk over to them and give them a hug, so she would wait. Hermione looked around the room and spotted someone she hadn't noticed until now. She pushed herself from the wall and walked over to him.

"Hey Ron," she said.

He looked up at her as if he didn't know she would be there. She thought it odd, but pushed it to the back of her mind.

"Hey," he said.

"How are you?" She asked cocking her head to the side. "And where's Demezla? "

"I'm fine," he clipped out. "You? And she's here. She just went to the loo."

"Oh, I'm good. The baby's doing fine too," she added in an afterthought. "I didn't see you two come in."

"Oh, we came in just a bit ago."

"I see," Hermione said. She felt awkward standing there as Ron sat not really looking at her. When had things become awkward between them? "Ron, is everyth-" Before Hermione could finish her sentence, Demezla came bounding down the stairs.

"Hullo Hermione!" The woman said cheerfully as she sat down on the arm of the chair her boyfriend was occupying.

"Hello Demezla. How are you?"

"I'm fine. How are you and the baby?"

Hermione was momentarily stunned. Had Ron told her about her baby? It really wasn't a secret, but Hermione wasn't going around telling everyone just yet. She recovered and gave her a smile.

"We're both doing just fine, thank you."

The dark haired woman nodded and gave her a smile.

"Well, I'm going to, um, congratulate Harry and Gin not that everyone's cleared out."

Ron gave her a nod in parting. Hermione's brows furrowed, but she didn't say anything. She could talk to him another time when he wasn't preoccupied. She walked over to her best friend and gave him a hug and then Ginny.

"Congrats you two! I'm glad you're having a boy."

"Me too!" Harry said.

Hermione shook her head. "Of course you are."

"Don't you find out what you're having soon?" Ginny asked.

Hermione nodded. "I do. I have an appointment in two days."

"You better tell me what you're having!"

"No. You didn't tell me and you'll find out like everyone else at my baby shower," Hermione said sticking out her tongue like an over-sized four-year-old.

Ginny laughed. "Fine," she sniffed, faux-hurt.

"You'll get over it."

The three of them laughed, but Hermione couldn't fully enjoy herself now when she was thinking about Ron and his bizarre behavior.

**~-O-~**

Hermione consented in bringing her mother with her to her appointment. She did promise her that she could come with her at some point and she thought that this would be the best time. They sat in the waiting room until Hermione got called back to a room a few minutes after they arrived.

Hermione sat down on the examining table, as if was customary now, and her mother sat in the chair next to the door. Healer Brennan came in five minutes later. She gave Hermione a smile and then Jane.

"Seems we have a full house today!" She laughed.

"This is my mum, Jane," Hermione introduced. "And mum, this is Healer Brennan."

They said their hellos before Healer Brennan turned to Hermione. She automatically laid back on the table and lifted her shirt just under her bra.

"How are we feeling?" Healer Brennan asked.

"Fine. I had a bout of morning sickness, but other than that, I've felt fine."

She nodded. "That's normal. Let's take a look at this little guy."

Healer Brennan brought out the ultrasound machine out and wheeled it over to Hermione's right. She put a bit of gel on Hermione's stomach and spread it around. Hermione shivered at the contact, but otherwise stayed still. The machine turned on and Hermione waited anxiously.

Her heart was beating rapidly and she couldn't help but look at the ceiling. She felt if she looked at the monitor than she would freak out, so she kept her eyes where they were. When she felt Healer Brennan place the machine on her stomach, she felt her toes tingle in anticipation.

"Well, it looks like we have a good view of the baby. Most of the time I have the hardest time finding out the sex, but this baby is quite open," she chuckled.

Jane scooted the chair closer to Hermione. She grabbed her daughters hand and watched the monitor.

"If you'll look at the monitor now, you can see what your child is."

Hermione's eyes snapped over to the monitor. Tears instantly started welling up in her eyes. This was her child. It seemed so much more real to her now. The baby was no longer this tiny thing that was no bigger than a pinpoint. The heart was steadily _wah-wup_ing at its fluttering pace. This was amazing.

Hermione looked at her mother who also had tears in her eyes. She looked down at her daughter and gave her a watery smile. "I can't believe this," she whispered.

Hermione laughed. "Me either."

"Would you like a photo?" Healer Brennan asked.

Hermione nodded enthusiastically.

Healer Brennan handed her a towel to wipe the goo from her stomach and pelvis as she printed a picture of the baby. Hermione pulled her shirt back down as Healer Brennan handed her the photo. Hermione couldn't take her eyes off of the little black and white moving picture.

"Everything still looks good and I want to see you back here in a month and a half, okay?"

Hermione nodded. "Thank you."

Healer Brennan gave her a smile. "Of course."

Hermione and her mother walked out of the office. Hermione's eyes were still glued to the tiny picture. She couldn't believe it.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's note: <strong>Hello! I didn't think I'd get this chapter up so quickly, but here we are! And as I said last chapter, I would ask you guys for name suggestions. You won't know the sex until next chapter. So I promise to give you some time to give suggestions. When I find the ones I like, I'll pick two boys and two girls names. And when you find out the sex next chapter, I'll take the two names from whatever the sex is and have you pick one or the other. You won't know the name until the birth. So name suggestions, GO!

And you'll find out more about Ron and the case next chapter as well. I have to have you come back for more, of course. Ok, done rambling! Love you all xx

And to roni2010: Hermione and Draco work in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and their sub division (which is a sub division from the Aurors) would be Investigation Department. And Ginny, she's done with quidditch so I suppose she could work from home writing things for the Daily Prophet or she just may not work at all. I don't really know since she isn't a main focus of mine. :)


	8. The Storm

**Dear Child **

**Chapter Eight**

**The Storm**

* * *

><p><em>Month Five<em>

Hermione sat at her desk contemplating; to tell Vivian today or not. It was the question that was now plaguing her every other thought. She knew that she should tell her. Vivian _had_ the right to know. Actually, Hermione technically _should_ have told her when she find out she was pregnant, but alas, Hermione got caught up in the case that seemed to be demanding her attention more than she should let it.

Hermione took a deep breath and decided that she was going to tell her, _now_. Hermione stood and adjusted her robes. She walked with her head held high and her back straight. Maybe if she showed that she had all the confidence in world-like she did when she was in Hogwarts-then maybe she wouldn't be so afraid to tell Vivian the news. If Hermione had to resort to her old self, just for the moment, she would if it meant going through with this.

She got to Vivian's door and slowly moved her already balled fist up to eye-level, ready to knock, but she was stopped when the door flew open. She was standing face-to-face with Malfoy. His grey eyes rounded in surprise and her fist still in the air. The surprise she saw disappeared as soon as she discovered it. Hermione also put her arm down, now feeling stupid; something that she rarely felt.

He cleared his throat. "Granger," he said civilly.

"Malfoy," Hermione greeted back. She didn't know if she could ever get used to a civil Draco Malfoy. It was like seeing Halley's comet every year of your life; impossible.

He was still standing at Vivian's door, blocking her entrance. Hermione put her hands on her hips and raised an eyebrow. She hoped she looked intimidating to him, but she knew that couldn't be true.

"Can you _please_ move, Malfoy?" She asked him in a firm voice.

It was Draco's turn to raise his own eyebrow. "I _could_," he said and there sounded like there was a but to that statement and she was correct. "But I'm not."

"And why is that?" Hermione asked cocking her head to the side.

"Because we have somewhere to go," he said as if this was the most obvious thing in the world.

"And where are _we_ going?" She asked him as if he were a small child.

"Something else happened. I'll brief you as we head to the atrium. So whatever you have to say to Vivian can wait. Come on," he said shutting the door behind him and walking down the hall, not looking if she was behind him or not.

Hermione wanted to stomp her foot like some petulant child, but she knew better. She supposed telling Vivian about her pregnancy _would_ have to wait, if she liked it or not. So she followed behind Malfoy albeit reluctantly. Maybe she was that petulant child after all.

She caught up to him at the elevator that he was, surprisingly, holding open for her. As soon as she got into the elevator, the grate shut and she turned to Draco expectantly. He didn't seem perturbed at the hostile look upon her face.

"Another family's dead," he said matter-of-factly.

Hermione's whole demeanor changed. Another family was dead. Things had been so quiet over the last few months. Hermione felt her insides squirm, or maybe that was the baby.

"Whose family?" Hermione heard herself ask.

"Zabini. Blaise's family."

Hermione looked Draco's profile over with observant eyes. She knew that he and Blaise had been a lot closer in school than he and Nott, but of course she didn't know if they had remained that way after school. She wanted to ask, but she knew when Draco Malfoy was cornered, he often fought back. But she tried to take in as much of him as she could to find any indication that he felt something.

But of course Draco was the master of hiding anything he didn't want anyone to see. So Hermione was standing there left guessing. One day, just one day she wanted access to his head just see how he worked; to see what was going on in that head of his. Hermione knew that he was capable of feeling something. Harry had informed her of that during their sixth year and she believed him. To go through what Draco had to all those years ago was a feat. And she didn't blame him for cracking. She would have as well.

The elevator came to a stop at the atrium. Draco walked out of it without a backwards glance. Hermione hurried after him.

"How do you know these things before I do? Is there anyone left alive? Why don't we have aurors coming with us?" Hermione asked in rapid succession.

Draco stopped and turned around to look at her. Hermione would have ran into the man if she hadn't been paying attention.

His expression was unreadable as his eyes raked over her. She wasn't sure what he was looking at or for. She stood still and looked back at him.

"I know these things before you because that's my job. When something happens that the auror's take notice, they come to me. And when I find out, I inform Vivian and then I inform you since you are my partner. That's why. I would think you know that, Granger. You're a smart woman. And we won't know if anyone's left until we get there. We go and investigate before the aurors get there. Does that answer your questions now?" He asked, but there was no malice in his voice.

Hermione nodded. "Yes," she said evenly.

He spun back around with a grace a ballerina would kill for and smoothly began walking towards the floo again, Hermione hot on his heels. Draco walked to the first fireplace he came to and grabbed powder and disappeared in a swirl of green flames to the Zabini residence. Hermione followed a moment later.

**~-O-~**

Once the spinning stopped and Hermione could finally exit the fireplace without feeling like she was going to hurl, she found Draco standing in the parlor waiting on her. She brushed the soot from her robes.

"Are we splitting up?" She asked him, feeling oddly like Scooby Doo. She was Velma and he was Fred. She almost wanted to giggle at the analogy, but she refrained. This wasn't the time.

"No."

Hermione stared at him. They usually split up when it came to investigating a house. "Why?" She asked, her natural curiosity taking over her mouth before she could stop it.

"Because I don't know what's in this house, Granger. I haven't been here for years and I don't know what sorts of hexes or curses that might be lingering on objects," he said evenly.

Hermione nodded. Well, that answered one her questions. Draco and Blaise weren't close anymore. Again, her curiosity got the better of her, but she didn't voice this question out loud. What had happened between the two Slytherins?

"All right. Where do you want to start?"

"This room and then we'll make out way clockwise so that we'll end up at the stairs."

Hermione nodded.

The two of them looked around in relative silence. It wasn't awkward. They were concentrating on their work and therefore too preoccupied to talk to one another. And what would they say? There wouldn't be any jolly banter as they searched a house of a possible dead classmate and a family he actually knew and possibly cared about at one time.

"Draco," Hermione said quietly.

"Hm?" He grunted from the other side of the room.

"I found blood," she told him calmly, even if she felt anything but.

Draco walked calmly over to her side and held up his wand. The light from the tip confirmed that small pool of blood. Draco's eyebrows knitted together. He started walking into the next room where there was a small trail of blood. Hermione followed him, her eyes looking around the room for something else that could help them.

Draco was bent over another small pool of blood. He was waving his wand over it. The blood on the floor seemed to be changing color in front of Hermione's eyes. She walked over to him, not wanting to disturb his work.

"This blood belongs to Blaise," he said quietly.

Hermione looked around the room expecting to see a body, but there wasn't one. The blood seemed to move on to the hallway. She started for the hallway, her wand held aloft. Her eyes scanned the hallway where it seemed the blood stopped. Hermione was puzzled. She was sure that the blood would continue on.

But two things happened at once. Hermione was looking around the hall for any other traces of blood, but again she couldn't find any. A secret door opened in the floor opened silently. Hermione's back was to said door and Draco was still in the other room. Blaise Zabini crept towards Hermione as quietly as he could. Hermione heard the floor creak and turned in surprise to see a bloody Blaise standing behind her.

He lunged at her, his large hands closing around her throat. She let out a yelp of surprise before he cut off her airways and making her drop her wand. She tried to pull air through her nose, but it was all for naught. He was stronger than her. She tried digging her nails into his hands or arms, but it didn't faze him. She looked into his eyes and saw that they were unfocused and demented.

Hermione's lungs were burning fiercely. She needed air not only for herself, but for the baby. _Where the hell is Draco?_ Hermione thought sluggishly. Just as she thought it, he appeared. Wand tip illuminating his white blond hair. As soon as he saw the scene in front of him, he silently cast _Nox_ and stunned Blaise without saying a word.

Hermione dropped to the floor heavily, coughing all the while. She rolled to her back and took in as many deep breaths as she could. Air filled her lungs, but she couldn't get enough of it. She moved a shaky hand down to her stomach. She knew she'd have to go to the hospital to check on the baby. She noticed her wand lying a foot away from her and reached for it.

She finally looked up to see that Draco was binding an unconscious Blaise. She started to push herself in a sitting position when Draco walked over to her and knelt down.

"Are you okay?" He asked, concern was evident in his voice.

Hermione stared at him dazed for a moment. She thought that would never happen; Draco Malfoy asking if she was all right and it wasn't just a routine question. She snapped out of it.

"I suppose. I'll need to go to St. Mungo's to be checked over. Do you have everything secure here before I go?" She asked trying to stand.

Draco held out a hand for her. She took it without hesitation. He pulled her gently to her feet. His hands were a lot bigger than hers. They engulfed hers easily. His fingers were long and skinny, a pianists hands. Hermione realized she was staring at them and quickly took her hand out of his. She felt herself blush.

"Thank you," she said quietly. "And you didn't answer my question."

She realized he was the one staring at her this time. Again, he seemed to be searching for something. She had the urge to ask 'what', but refrained.

"I have everything here, Granger. I'll bring an auror back with me after I take him in," he motioned to Blaise Zabini's prone form on the floor.

"All right. Let me know how it goes," she said walking slowly towards the fireplace.

"Granger?" She heard him call after her.

She turned around.

"Come to my office after you get back so I know you're fine," he grumbled.

Hermione nodded and turned to leave once again, this time succeeding in reaching the fireplace. She grabbed the powder and called out for St. Mungo's. She was gone a moment later-unbeknownst to her-with Draco staring after her.

**~-O-~**

"It's a good thing that you didn't hurt yourself or your child," the healer that checked her over told her.

"I know. If it wasn't for my partner, I don't know if I would have made it out," she said quietly. She would have to thank Draco once again for saving her and her child's life.

"I think you should switch Departments Ms. Granger."

"I know. I was planning on it today, but I had to leave out of a case before I could tell my supervisor."

"Well, once you go back please tell her. Do you have another department in mind?"

"Yes, the Department of the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures."

"Very well. And one more thing."

Hermione looked at the healer.

"Make sure you're getting plenty of rest and taking care of yourself. You're not _only_ worrying about yourself, Mr. Granger. You need to make sure that your first priority is your child."

Hermione bit her lip. She knew that he was right. She hadn't been taking enough care of herself. The case seemed more important. But that's how she always was. School work or work in general came first, but she had to deprogram herself. He was absolutely right.

"You're right. Thank you," Hermione said getting off of the examining table.

He gave her a nod as she left. Hermione walked out of the hospital and down the street to the Ministry.

First thing first, visit Vivian and tell her what's going on. And then go to Draco's office to report back to him. As she walked through the Ministry, she couldn't help but think of the look on his face after he asked if she was all right. She felt that he was becoming human to her once again. If they had been in Hogwarts, he wouldn't have given a shit if she was almost killed. No, she took that bad. She was sure he wouldn't want a friend of his to get in trouble.

But that wasn't him anymore. He wasn't the same boy. He was different. And Hermione couldn't help but like that he's changed.

Hermione noticed she was at Vivian's office faster than she anticipated. She barely remembered being in the lift. But here she was again, poised to knock at her door once again. Without hesitation, she knocked loudly. She waited a terse minute before she head Vivian's voice telling her to come in.

Hermione opened the door and was shocked (even though she shouldn't be) to see that Draco was sitting in his usual chair. She looked him over and noticed there wasn't hair out of place. Lucky him. Hermione sat herself in the chair next to his. She felt, more so, than saw him look at her. She felt her cheeks heat up. This was ridiculous.

"Hello, Hermione," Vivian said.

"Hello."

"Draco was just filling me in on what happened at the Zabini residence. How are you feeling? Is everything okay?"

"I'm fine. And I wanted to talk to you about something," Hermione said tensely.

"Oh? Go on."

Hermione bit the inside of her cheek. She let out a breath. "I know I should have told you months before, but this case happened and I got caught up. I know that it isn't a good excuse, but it's true. I'm pregnant," she told them finally.

It was quiet in the office for several minutes.

"Oh," was all Vivian could say.

Hermione was afraid to look at their faces. Draco hadn't moved nor said a word.

"And I wanted to tell you I'll be switching departments. It'll be safer for the baby and me. I suppose after I question Blaise and write my report, I'll be done."

Vivian nodded. "It'll be a shame to let you go."

Hermione nodded. She felt awkward. Was she supposed to leave now that she spilled the beans? She started to get up, but Draco stopped her.

"I still want to talk to you."

"All right," she said as she continued to get up. Draco got up as well and walked out of the door. Hermione followed after him.

When she got to his office, he was already sitting in his wing-backed chair with his fingers steepled. Hermione sat in the chair in front of him. She barely looked up at him. They were both quiet for a prolonged time. Hermione finally decided to take the plunge.

"What happened after I left?" She asked looking up at him.

He was staring at her again. "I'd like to know more about this whole pregnancy business before I get to that."

Hermione sighed. "What about it?"

"How long have you been keeping this little secret?"

"four and a half months," she whispered.

"What? Granger, do you realize that you were putting not only yourself, but your _child_ in danger?"

Hermione was shocked. This was the second time she heard this speech today. She knew that. She did, but regardless nothing she could have said was a valid excuse.

"I know that, Malfoy! After today I knew I had to change departments. I was on my way to tell Vivian when you told me we had to go."

"Don't go blaming me. You could have told me to fuck off and that you had important shit to tell Vivian because _that_," he pointed to the vicinity of her stomach, "is important shit."

"Did I say I'm blaming you? I know this is all my fault! And I went willingly. So I _know_!"

They lapsed into silence. "Weasley's thicker than I thought. Letting you continue to work in this department when you could potentially fucking die," he grumbled.

"I'm not Ron's responsibility," Hermione said firmly.

"Oh? You and Weasel have a spat?"

"We haven't been together in _years_, thank you," Hermione said angrily.

"Then whose kid are you having then?"

"That's none of your business, actually," Hermione said standing up. "I'll hear what happened some other time. I refuse to sit here and be insulted."

Draco chuckled. Hermione turned to look at him. "And what the hell do you find so funny?"

"You, Granger. You get your knickers twisted in a bunch. I'll see you tomorrow then."

Hermione bit the inside of her cheek to stop her from saying something back to him. It wasn't worth it; he wasn't worth it. She turned around and walked out of his office, slamming the door behind her. Draco Malfoy was still an arse.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>Hello! So I was going to add the baby shower to this chapter, but as I wrote this it just didn't fit into the plan anymore. So, next chapter. So I screwed up the last chapter. That's what I get for writing and editing when I'm tired. Alas! But I will be picking two names and then you all can pick the one you like better. Thanks to those who already gave suggestions. If anyone else wants to suggest more, you're welcome to do so! I like having your input, so suggest away. But next chapter shall have more drama and such. Fun stuff. Reviews are welcome! You're all wonderful!


	9. Like O, Like H

**Dear Child**

**Chapter Nine**

**Like O, Like H**

* * *

><p><em>Month Six<em>

Hermione walked into the interrogation room without looking at her partner. She supposed this would be the last time she would get to call him that and she didn't know how she felt about it, which was a peculiar thought. She pushed the thought to the back of her mind. It was time to work now. She could dwell upon this-whatever it was-some other time.

She sat down in the chair next to Draco. He didn't look at her nor did he say good morning. That was fine. After he goaded her the day before, she didn't quite care if he said two words to her any time soon. She took out her parchment and a fresh quill and placed them on the table. She noticed Draco didn't have either. She raised her eyebrow at this, but didn't comment.

Two aurors brought Blaise in. Hermione cringed. She hadn't slept that well the night before. All she could think about was Blaise attacking her over and over again. She noticed that he didn't look as wild as he did when he was choking her. She felt herself ever so slightly relax at that observation.

The aurors bound him to the chair and left Hermione and Draco to question him. Hermione didn't know if she was to start or if Draco was going to. They waited in silence until she cleared her throat. But Draco said something before she could. She closed her mouth and glared at him. She could see the subtle lift of his lips. _Prat_, she thought.

"What do you remember of last night?" Draco asked in a neutral voice that Hermione associated with investigating.

Blaise seemed to be thinking. After a long pause, his deep voice came out gravelly. "I don't remember much. I remember hearing my mother being...murdered. I went to intervene, but I don't remember anything after that. I do remember waking up in a cell, bound and covered in blood."

"You were covered in your own blood," Draco told him.

Blaise's dark brown eyes traveled over to his. "Mine? Did I get hurt?"

"The Healer that checked you over said you suffered a few stab wounds. Other than that, no."

Blaise nodded his head.

"Did you hear the murderer's voice?" Hermione asked next.

"I don't know," he said slowly. "I just heard my mother begging him not to kill her."

Hermione felt a chill travel through her body. She shivered slightly. She couldn't imagine having to witness her own mother's death, even if she didn't see it with her own eyes. Hearing it would have been enough. No wonder Blaise went a little mad.

"So you know that it was a man?" Hermione asked.

He nodded. "I know that for sure. I remember her saying 'please sir, please don't do this' over and over."

Blaise closed his eyes and shook his head. He opened his eyes once again looked at them both. Hermione could see the haunted look in them. She had the urge to reach across the table and put her hand over one of his in a comforting gesture, but she knew it was a bad idea.

"Do you remember choking Hermione last night?" Draco asked Blaise. Hermione's heartbeat quickened as the question hung in the air.

Blaise turned his eyes to hers-brown staring into brown. She didn't know what he saw in her eyes, but whatever it was he quickly looked away.

"No," he said quickly.

"Hermione, tell him what happened," Draco told her. He finally looked over at her and she looked back at him. His eyes were demanding, yet there was something gentle within them as well.

Hermione bit the inside of her cheek and then turned to look at Blaise who was looking down at his lap. She cleared her throat and he looked up, but it seemed that he was looking through her than actually at her.

"I was following the trail of blood, your blood, out of the parlor to the den and finally to the hallway. It stopped and I was puzzled by that. As I was looking, you snuck up behind me and I heard you at the last second. You grabbed me by the throat..." She trailed off. "You grabbed me by the throat and cut off my breathing easily. I don't know how long you did that, but Draco came into the hallway and stunned you," Hermione finished quietly.

The room stayed quiet for a long moment until Draco spoke. "If I hadn't walked in, you could have killed her, Blaise," he spoke softly.

Blaise looked over to him. "I-I didn't know."

"I'm not trying to justify your actions, but after hearing your mother murder and your possible encounter with the murder, you may have gone a bit mad. Your eyes were unfocused and you looked insane."

Blaise didn't say anything for awhile. "I'm sorry."

Hermione nodded. She didn't know what to say. 'It's okay,' seemed like a scapegoat answer, a hallow excuse that everyone in the room knew was a lie. It wasn't okay no matter what unless he was under the Imperius Curse. Hermione thought back to that night. Blaise eyes were unfocused and filled with some akin to survival. He was trying to survive through everything. Could she blame him for the way he acted? Hermione didn't know.

The three occupants in the room were quiet for a long time until Draco cleared his throat and spoke.

"We're going to put you in a holding cell for the time being. We want to see if you'll remember anything. You were under a lot of stress and trauma so it is possible you may remember more. We'll question you again in a few days."

Blaise nodded.

Draco didn't have to say a word. The aurors from earlier walked in and took Blaise back to his cell. Hermione collected her papers and quills quietly and stuffed them into her bag. She stood, but Draco stopped her before she could leave.

"Are you really going to quit?" He asked in a calm voice.

She turned and looked at him. "I have to, for my safety and my child's."

Draco scratched the nape of his neck. "Granger, you can't...quit," he said slowly as if he didn't know what he was really saying.

Hermione felt her eyes widen. "Excuse me?"

He sighed. "I-the department needs you. You're the one who started this case with me and I can't work with anyone else. They...wouldn't understand."

Hermione listened to his words. She looked his face over. It almost looked painful for him to say these things to her. Hermione bit her lip.

"I can't go out in the field anymore."

"I know. You could work from the office. I'd go out and investigate."

"By yourself?"

He nodded.

"You can't do that!"

He raised an eyebrow at her. "I'm perfect capable."

"That may be, but usually _I_ was there in case you needed backup. If, _if_ I agree to this, you aren't going out there by yourself. I'm sure the bloody department could spare an auror to go with you."

He looked at her for a long moment. If Hermione could guess what he was feeling, it had to be shock.

"So you're saying that you won't quit?"

"I didn't say that. I said _if_, Malfoy. Let me think about it, okay? I'm going to visit the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures."

"Okay." Hermione thought he sounded unsure. "Let me know."

Hermione nodded. "I will," and disappeared from the interrogation room and walked straight to the lift.

She didn't even want to think about what just happened. She'd file it away and think about it later.

**~-O-~**

Hermione didn't have time to think about what Draco had said (and didn't say) that day in the interrogation room. It was now November 14th and the day of Hermione's baby shower-much to her chagrin.

Ginny, Molly, her parents, and of course her best friends and second family had informed her two weeks ago that they were throwing her a baby shower. Hermione told them not to, but of course they didn't listen. They never listened to what she wanted or didn't want, for that matter.

Hermione looked at herself in the mirror. She seemed to do this at least once a month. She always glanced at herself, but she took time out to look herself over. Her hands rested on her stomach. Her favorite action was to rub her protruding stomach. Her pregnancy was moving right along and she couldn't really complain.

"Hermione!" She heard Ginny's voice call her sing-songishly from her den.

Hermione sighed. She walked out of her bedroom and down the hallway.

"There you are! Ready?"

"As I'll ever be," he grumbled.

"Oh lighten up! It's going to be great!"

Hermione gave her a smile. "Of course you would think so. You don't mind being the center of attention."

"And you don't either, to a point."

"I've never liked it. Just because I knew all the answers in school and raised my hand to speak doesn't mean that I enjoyed the constant attention."

"Uh huh. Anyway, let's go!" The over-excited girl said pulling her friend's arm and flooing to the Burrow.

Hermione brushed the soot from her shirt and pants before Ginny could grab her again. Ginny led her into the den where everyone sat or stood around talking. When Hermione entered the room, everyone turned to her and smiled. She felt herself blush.

"Hello," she greeted timidly.

Her parents came up to her, smiles on their faces. "Hello, darling," her mother said hugging her and kissing her cheek. Once her mother stopped hugging her, her father took her place. "You look well," he smiled.

"Thanks, dad," she smiled back.

After that, everyone in the room came up to hug her and say hello. After the initial hellos, Hermione noticed the room was missing another redhead. Hermione frowned. Maybe he was coming later. She didn't think that one of her best friends would miss her baby shower, even if she didn't really want to be there herself.

But she was distracted from her thoughts when Ginny elbowed her lightly. Hermione turned her head to look at her friend.

"Mum said the food's done," Ginny said looking Hermione over. "What's wrong?" She asked in an undertone.

"Hm? Nothing. I'm just hungry. Let's go."

Ginny gave her a skeptical look. Hermione knew she was a terrible liar, but she wasn't really going to tell Ginny that Ron's absence was bothering her. She was supposed to be happy right now, so she told herself that she would talk to Gin and Harry later.

As Hermione placed food on her plate, Harry sidled up to her side. "Hey."

"Hey Harry."

"How are you?"

"I'm fine. How are you?"

"I'm fine. Gin said there's something wrong. And don't deny it, you're a terrible liar."

Hermione had to laugh at Harry's correct observation of her. "Have you heard if Ron's coming?"

"He said he was."

"Oh ok."

"Is that what's bothering you?" He asked her, concern evident in his voice.

"Well, it seemed that in the beginning Ron supported my decision and now he just seems so...distant. I don't know if it's about the baby or if it's about something else. Has he been distant with you?"

"No, not really. He's just been spending time with Demezla."

"Oh, okay."

"Don't worry, 'Mione, Ron will always be here for you just like Gin and I."

Hermione nodded. "Thanks, Harry."

He gave her a smile and squeezed her shoulder. He went back over to his wife.

Hermione felt better after her talk with Harry. She just hoped that he was right. She wanted to believe that Ron would always be there for her, but with his recent behavior all she felt was doubt. But Hermione would give him one more chance to prove to her that their friendship was still intact.

The shower was a lot better than Hermione thought it would be. As the time slipped by, Hermione kept wondering where Ron was. She was really starting to give up on him.

Molly brought out the cake next. She sat it in on the coffee table in front of Hermione. Hermione smiled at Molly. It was a beautiful cake, cream cheese frosting with strawberries placed upon the top. It looked delicious. Molly cut into the cake and Hermione saw that the cake was pink. She furrowed her brows.

"Your mum thought it would be a fun idea to dye the cake the color of the baby's gender."

Hermione looked over at her mother and smiled. She did have to admit that it was a good idea. Once Molly started handing out little plates of cake, everyone commented on the cake and congratulated Hermione. Hermione beamed and thanked them.

After Hermione opened presents and thanked everyone that came, she let out a sigh of relief. She loved seeing everyone, but she was glad the party was over. Only her parents, Ginny, Harry, Molly, and Arthur were present. She helped them clean up the house, even though they protested. After Harry took her parents home, he and Ginny helped her move her presents to her flat.

"Thank you," Hermione told them.

Ginny hugged her and then Harry. "It's no problem, Hermione. And don't worry about Ron like I said. He'll come around. He's just too wrapped up in his girlfriend."

Hermione nodded. She hoped that was all. She told her friends goodbye before they flooed away to their house.

Hermione moved everything to her daughter's room. She decided that she should get started in there tonight. Before she could, there was a knock at her door. Hermione wondered who it could possibly be. She put down a bag and headed to the door.

When she opened it, she discovered Ron standing on the other side. Hermione was shocked.

"Hey," he greeted.

"Hello," she said stiffly.

"May I come in?"

Hermione thought about it for a moment. She did need to talk to him, but having him show up at her house after not showing up for her today.

Hermione let Ron in without saying a word. He brushed past her and sat down in one of her chairs.

She shut the door behind them and sat down on the couch opposite him.

"So..."

"I'm sorry for not coming today."

Hermione scoffed. "What's going on, Ron? You've been oddly distant with me for the past few months."

He fidgeted around. He sighed and finally looked at her. "I just...I still have feelings for you, 'Mione."

Hermione averted her eyes. She hoped this wasn't the case. She looked back at him. His blue eyes weren't visible.

"Before you say anything, I know, _I know_ that this isn't a possibility anymore. I'm not the same boy you feel for all those years ago, but Hermione you're still so much more for me."

Hermione was at a loss for words. He was right. He wasn't the same boy that she fell in love with during their Hogwarts days. He had the same qualities he had when he was a teenager, but there was something different; something she couldn't quite put her finger on. Maybe it was a weak excuse for not loving him the way he wanted, but she had to think about herself; something she never really did for most of her life. And maybe that was the problem.

After the war, Hermione had set out by herself to actually get to know herself all over again, to figure out who she really was. And maybe that's what turned her off from the idea of being with Ron. She was too busy focusing on herself to pay attention to him; the attention he needed. She did feel guilty, but this was _her_ time. So she took it.

"I'm sorry, Ron," he said and she meant it. She was sorry for many things.

"S'all right, 'Mione."

"No. This is partially my fault. When I needed to focus on us, I focused mainly on myself. I pushed you away."

"I know, but you had to do it. You had to figure out what was good for you and I understand that. Just...with this baby coming, it just made me yearn for the chance to be the one that's there for you. I thought this," he pointed to her stomach, "would be us one day. And you figured out a way to do it without me. I knew that you were independent and that you didn't need anyone to get what you wanted, but I didn't think that it would come to this. You never really needed me," he said, but it didn't sound like he was sad about the fact. He was resigned. He knew where he stood and he accepted that fact.

Hermione thought about it as she gaped at Ron. She had always been independent, but she always needed people. She needed Harry and Ron and Ginny and her parents and the Weasleys. She needed them all.

"I do need you, Ron. I need you all. I wouldn't be here without you or Harry or anyone else."

"Yes, I understand you need us in your life. I'll always be in your life, but you don't need me as your other half."

The revelation struck her. Did she need someone else that was her other half? Of course she did. Everyone did. She knew she wasn't _that_ independent. Maybe she didn't need Ron as her other half. And she wasn't shocked as she thought she should be. Perhaps that's what she figured out long ago. Maybe that was her _something_ that she couldn't figure out. Ron wasn't the man for her. He was one of her best friends. The one she went to when she needed cheering up and a hug. That's all.

"Maybe," she said even though she knew he was right. "You are my other half when it comes to other things. We just aren't...romantically compatible."

"I know," he said running a hand through his hair.

They sat in silence together for a long time. Ron stood from his chair suddenly. "I'm glad we talked. We...needed this."

Hermione bit the inside of her cheek and nodded. She stood as well. She walked over to him and hesitantly opened her arms to him.

He gave her a smile and hugged her back. "I love you, Hermione and I always will, but I know where we stand and that won't change anything between us. I'm sorry I've been a right bastard about it, but I guess I needed to think about some things. I'm sorry."

Tears sprang to Hermione's eyes. "I'm sorry, too, Ron. And I love you. You're one of the best friends I've ever had."

He pulled back and kissed her forehead. "It's all right, Hermione."

He walked to the door and gave her one more smile before closing the door. Hermione let out a shaky breath. She turned back towards the hall to work on her daughter's room, but was interrupted again by a large owl pecking her window.

She walked over to the window and opened it. The handsome eagle owl landed on her counter. It had a parcel attached to its foot. Hermione untied it and looked at the package. She took out her wand and made sure that it didn't have any curses upon it. Once it was cleared, she opened it.

It was a teddy bear. Hermione raised an eyebrow. Who would be sending her a teddy bear? She looked for a note and found one. It was straight to the point.

_Granger,_

_I heard that you were having your baby shower and I didn't know what to get you. _

_-DM_

Hermione looked at the bear again. It wasn't anything special, but why would Draco send her anything? And how did he find out about her shower? She looked at the bear and then back at the eagle owl. He was obviously waiting for something. Hermione looked at the bear again.

Hermione smiled to herself. In Draco Malfoy's own little way, he was trying. She grabbed a bit of parchment and wrote back to him.

_Draco,_

_Thank for the teddy. I'm sure my daughter will love it once she's old enough. And I've thought it over, I won't be quitting the department. We'll talk more about this later._

_-HG_

She tied it to the owl's leg and watched as it pumped its massive wings and flew back to its own. She smiled at the bear once again and walked into her daughter's room feeling a bit lighter.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's note: <strong>She finally talked to Ron, but don't worry there's so much more going on! Bahaha! Anyways, the baby's a girl as most of you knew because I suck. lol! Okay time for you to pick names. I've settled on three:** Lyra**,** Aurora**, and **Kyleigh****.** Don't worry you have until the chapter she give birth to vote. I'll tell you when that's coming up. Reviews are a plus! Until next time! 


	10. Panic Switch

**Dear Child**

**Chapter Ten**

**Panic Switch**

* * *

><p><em>Month<em> _Seven_

Hermione was nervous. Completely, utterly, hand-shaking-ly nervous. And it made her feel preposterous. She had been working side by side with Draco Malfoy for months now. Why was she feeling nervous and anxious around the man now? It's not like anything had changed.

But she was oh so wrong. They had been leaning towards civility more and more as the months passed, but this was different. Their relationship only existed in the Ministry and the occasionally other places that they had to visit together, but by no means did their relationship exist outside of work. But Draco crossed that line.

He took the confines of their relationship and rearranged it. He contacted her outside of work. Hermione thought that Draco would keep their interactions strictly professional and by sending her a gift for her unborn daughter was strange. She never knew the man to be the giving type, especially to children.

But that was the Hogwarts version of Draco, not _this_ Draco. Hermione was only starting to get glimpses of this changed Draco. The glimpses were always subtle and spaced apart, but Hermione was starting to look forward to these little glimpses. It was refreshing.

And that's why she was nervous. Would Draco be different, again? Would he remain the same, but without the glimpses? Did he feel that he showed her too much of himself? Did he want to show her more of himself? These questions had been spinning around in her head after she was finished arranging her daughter's room. When she finally came back to reality. What did this all mean now?

But it was too late to ponder about Draco Malfoy-who was sitting on the other side of the door she was currently staring at-because she had to face whatever she had been dreading head on. Where was that damned Gryffindor bravery when she needed it? No matter. She squared her shoulders and held her head up high. She turned the knob and walked in.

As predicted, Draco was sitting in his usual chair with his mask of indifference. Hermione didn't know why she expected anything but that expression, or lack thereof. Hermione walked to her chair cautiously and sat down. She looked at Draco from the corner of her eye, but when she saw he hadn't moved, she looked back down at her bag and grabbed her usual parchment and quill.

She heard Draco shift and she looked over at him. "Hello, Granger," he said stiffly.

"Hello, Malfoy."

And the exchanged was over. The tension between them was still there, but not as stifling as it was before when she entered the room. Moments later, two aurors brought Blaise in. Hermione was shocked to see that the man looked haggard. She wondered what had happened over the few days that she last saw him. But she knew that wasn't in her rights to know, or was it? Hermione's eyes looked over Blaise's form for a few more minutes before she was distracted by Draco sitting rigidly in his seat.

"Hello Blaise," Draco greeted in his professional voice.

Blaise looked up at Draco and gave the slightest lift of his chin.

Draco sighed. "Have you remembered anything?"

Blaise shook his head. "No, not really. I've been having...nightmares about my mother's death. I never saw how he killed her."

"What happens in your nightmares?" Hermione asked kindly.

"I'm walking towards her room as quietly as I can, but I walked over an old board and it protested under my weight. The murderer heard and quickly walked out of her room, wand raised. He had on a long black cloak and I couldn't see his face, his hand was gloved. He advanced toward me and I stood my ground. He quickly started throwing hexes my way and it turned out into an all out duel. He eventually bested me and I made a run for it. I hid, but I don't know where he had gone. And that's all."

Hermione looked at the man in front of her. She did pity him a bit. She couldn't imagine what it was like to dream about someone's death over and over again.

"If you want, Blaise," he looked into her eyes when she said his name, "we can keep you in a holding cell for the time being until we find you another place to live; somewhere safe."

Hermione didn't know what compelled her to say that. This man had choked her and almost cost her and her child's life, but she could see that he was scared, lost even. And that pulled at her heartstrings a bit. Also she didn't want Blaise dead. She never wished that on him. And something inside her told her that she needed to protect him so he didn't end up like Theodore Nott.

Blaise was still staring at her as if she had jumped on the table and started dancing the can-can. Blaise slowly blinked his eyes and nodded. "All right."

Hermione let out a relieved breath. He would be safe.

She nodded at Blaise and stood. "I'm going to start researching safe houses for you. I'll tell the aurors and Vivian what's going on."

Blaise looked at her again. It looked like he wanted to say something, but thought better of it. Hermione knew that if anything was still intact, it would be his pride. It seemed silly to have _that_ intact after everything he went through, but she knew (now) that it was all he had. It was the only thing linking himself to his old self. The person her grew to become. Now, he wasn't anywhere close to that person he grew to know.

Hermione wanted to tell him 'you're welcome', but she knew that he wouldn't appreciate that. So she didn't say anything as she left the room. She told the two aurors that they could take Blaise back to his cell. She made her way to Vivian's office to tell her the plan.

**~-O-~**

Once Vivian approved Hermione's plan, Hermione went back to her office to start looking for a safe house for Blaise. She was so absorbed in her work that she didn't hear the knock on her door. The door opened and emitted Draco Malfoy.

"Granger!"

Hermione jumped and looked up at him with wide eyes, a hand placed on her heart. "You scared me, Draco."

He paused for half a second at the use of his name as something familiar. "I knocked," he said simply.

"Oh. I didn't hear it..."

He smirked at her. "I kind of figured that when I had to bust in here and yell your name."

Hermione felt herself blush. "So what do you want?" She asked, not harshly. She was curious.

He sat down in the chair in front of her desk. "I was wondering something, Granger."

She raised her eyebrows to show she was listening.

"Why'd you ask Blaise if he wanted protection?" Draco asked crossing his arms over his chest.

Hermione could see the curiosity in his eyes as well as something else...intrigue? Hermione thought about what she should say. Should she tell him the truth? Would he think she was mad for her reasons? Only one way to find out.

"I don't know. I guess I couldn't see bear to see him possibly fall to the same fate as Nott. I mean, the killer obviously knows Blaise is still alive. And he can't go back home. You never know what could happen."

Draco was staring at her and it was unnerving. His grey silver eyes were unyielding. Hermione swallowed.

"You surprise me all the time, Granger."

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

"I don't know," he sounded frustrated.

Hermione was confused by his frustration, but didn't comment. "Vivian approved of my plan. I just need to find a safe house to put him in. We haven't had to use one in years."

Draco nodded. "If you need help let me know."

Hermione nodded. "I will."

Draco opened the door and left by way of a subtle click of the door.

Hermione looked at the door for a long time. She didn't know what to think about Draco's behavior. She thought about their relationship. They weren't friends, or were they? She didn't quite know. And she didn't quite know how to ask him such a question. But one thing was for certain, things had changed between them and Hermione didn't know if that was a good or a bad thing.

**~-O-~**

Over the next few weeks, things between Hermione and Draco were awkward. Tension had slipped between them. Hermione didn't know how she felt about it. Things weren't always smooth between and she shouldn't be fazed by the awkwardness and tension now, right? That's what she kept telling herself. Just because he sent her something for her child didn't mean anything between them. She was being silly.

Draco had been working out on the field with anything the aurors needed a hand with and Hermone was stuck in her office doing research. And Hermione _loved_ her job, but sitting in her stuffy office day after day was something she couldn't stand. It was boring and her job was _never_ boring to her.

But out of the things that she did do in her office, she managed to find a place for Blaise to stay. The aurors were going to transport him in the middle of the night so that no one knew.

Hermione heard a knock on her door. "Come in," she called.

Ron and Harry stepped in.

"Hey!" They both greeted.

"Hello. How are both of you?" She asked standing up so that she could hug them.

After exchanging hugs, the men sat down and so did Hermione.

"I'm fine," Harry said smiling at her.

"Me too," Ron said.

"Good, good."

"How are you feeling? How's the baby?"

"I'm feeling fine. I'm just a bit more tired than usual, but other than that I'm fine. And the baby's fine. She's quite active. I have an appointment soon."

"That's good. How's the case coming?" Harry asked her.

Hermione sighed, her smile faltered. "I don't know. We don't have any leads. Our victim doesn't remember anything. The only pattern that we have to go on is that the killer's only going after ex-Death Eaters. Other than that, we have nothing," she said frustrated by the sheer amount of things they didn't know.

"I'm sure you'll catch him, 'Mione. I know you will," Ron said trying to comfort her.

She sighed again, this time sounding more exhausted than she let on before. "I hope you're right. And it makes me feel sick. We have to wait around until he kills again!"

Harry and Ron gave her a sympathetic look.

"I'm just frustrated is all. Don't mind me."

"It's all right, Hermione. We've all had bad cases. But we just wanted to check on you. Gin sends her love."

Hermione smiled. "I'll have to pop over soon and visit."

Harry nodded. He and Ron stood up to leave. Hermione waved as they left her office.

Hermione looked at her clock. It was nearly time for her to go to her appointment. She packed up her papers and left the Ministry.

Walking to St. Mungo's seemed to take longer than usual and Hermione didn't know why. She took the lift to the third floor and walked to Healer Brennan's office. When she came in, the receptionist smiled at her.

"Hello Ms. Granger."

"Hello."

"Healer Brennan should be right with you."

Hermione took a seat and waited patiently, humming and biting her lip as she did so. Ten minutes passed before they called Hermione back.

Hermione knew the drill by now. She sat on the examining table and waited for Healer Brennan to arrive.

The door opened and Healer Brennan walked in. She smiled warmly at Hermione. Hermione smiled back at her.

"Hello there!" Healer Brennan greeted.

"Hello!" Hermione said cheerfully.

"How are you feeling?"

"Well. She's moving around a lot."

"That's a good sign. I know it may not feel that way, but it is," she assured her.

"Shall we take a look at her, then?"

Hermione nodded and laid back. She had removed her robe already and just had to pull her shirt over her belly.

"We'll measure you today just to see if she's growing correctly."

Hermione nodded and felt Healer Brennan take out a measuring tape. Once she was done she smiled at Hermione. "She looks to be growing normally. Now to really look at her."

Hermione's smile grew and she turned her head to look at the monitor that was coming to life. The picture of her squirming daughter was coming more and more visible.

"There she is. Her heart sounds good. Her lungs look to be shaping up nicely. She looks fine."

"Good."

Healer Brennan gave her towels to wipe herself off. Hermione pulled her shirt down and sat up.

"I do want to take your blood pressure though."

Hermione nodded and waited.

She put Hermione's arm in the cuff and started squeezing the bulb. Healer Brennan 'hm-ed' and 'mhm-ed'. She turned the valve and let out the air.

"Your pressure seems to be up just a tiny bit. Is everything all right?"

Hermione sighed. "No. Work's a bit hectic right now."

"Well, as you know, you need to take it easy."

"I know and I'm doing desk work right now."

"Well, you need to take better care of yourself."

Hermione nodded. "I know. And I'm going to cut back even more."

"Good. All right, I'll want to see you next month. We'll talk about your birthing plans next time I see you."

Hermione got off of the table and grabbed her robes. "Thank you."

"Of course. See you soon."

Hermione left the hospital and thought she should pay Ginny a visit.

**~-O-~**

Hermione stuck her head through the floo.

"Hello?" She called.

"Hermione, is that you?"

"Yeah, can I come through?"

"Yes!"

Hermione stepped through and brushed her clothes off.

Ginny came bustling into the room and hugged her. Hermione hugged her back.

"What brings you here?" Ginny asked.

"Oh, I just came from the hospital-everything's fine," Hermione said looking at her friend's face. "Harry and Ron stopped by my office earlier to say hello so I decided to come visit. How are you feeling?"

"Good actually. James is just a bit of a kicker, but it comes with the territory."

Hermione smiled. "I know what you mean."

Ginny smiled. "Then everything's fine?"

"Yeah. Just my blood pressure. It's up a bit. Work's stressing me out a bit."

"Case not going well?"

"No, not really. But I don't want to talk about work. I came to visit you!"

Ginny smiled. "What, Hermione Granger not wanting to talk about work? Odd."

Hermione stuck her tongue out. "Oh shush. So have you decorated James' room yet?"

Ginny's smile brightened. "I have! Come look!"

Hermione followed Ginny up the stairs. They walked through the third door on the left. The room was beautiful. It was painted green and blue with little snitches and quaffles. Hermione couldn't help but shake her head in amusement. They were already setting up the poor boy to be a quidditch player. The mahogany crib was cattycornered at the far end of the room next to the window. A rocking chair was close to the door and the changing table and dress was on the same wall.

"Wow, Gin! I love it!"

Ginny beamed. "Thank you. Harry and I worked pretty hard on it."

"You both did well," Hermione said looking around.

"Thanks."

"Gin, can I ask you something?"

"Yeah. You can ask me anything, 'Mione. You know that."

Hermione nodded and turned to face her. "Are you scared?"

Ginny laughed. "Out of my bloody mind!"

Hermione breathed a sigh of relief. "

"Good because so am I. I wasn't really nervous in the beginning because I was determined. This," she gestured to her stomach, "is what I want, but now that she's coming...I can't help but start getting scared. So many thoughts and questions."

"Hermione, it's okay. She'll love you. You'll be a wonderful mother. I know that that doesn't help any, but it's true."

Hermione gave her a weak smile. "Thanks Gin. Nothing can truly prepare you for this. And I'm glad we're going through this together."

"Me too," Ginny smiled and reached for her hand so that she could squeeze it.

Hermione squeezed her hand back. "You're going to be a great mum and Harry's going to be the greatest dad."

"He will be fantastic, won't he? And thank you."

"Of course, but I'm going to go. Tell Harry I stopped by, won't you?"

Ginny nodded and threw her arms around her. Hermione hugged her back before walking back downstairs to head home.

Her fears were still there, but she felt a bit better now that she talked to Ginny.

**~-O-~**

Hours later Hermione was cooking dinner when she heard that her floo activate. She looked around the corner of her kitchen to see who it was. To her shock, it was Draco Malfoy's head sticking out of her fireplace.

"Malfoy?" She asked walking into her den.

"Where the hell have you been? I've been looking all over the place for you!"

"Sorry," Hermione said, but she didn't sound sorry at all. "What do you want?" She asked sitting on the arm of her sofa.

"I need you to come in. Zabini's dead and so are the Parkinsons." With that, his head disappeared and the connection was severed.

Hermione was confused. How could Blaise be dead? He was in a cell. He was _safe_. And another murder on the same day? Hermione felt sick. She walked into her room and changed into the clothes she had on earlier. She grabbed a pinch of floo powder and headed back to work. Her work was never done apparently. And that was an understatement.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>Hello! Thanks to all who voted! You still have time! (names: Kyleigh, Lyra, and Aurora) I hope you enjoyed this chapter. More drama to come! Until next time!


	11. Lionhearted Girl

**Dear Child**

**Chapter Eleven**

**Lion-hearted Girl**

* * *

><p><em>Month Eight<em>

When Hermione came through the floo in Vivian's office and out into the hallway of her department, she walked into mass chaos. People were running around, yelling, and pulling people hither and thither. Hermione stood there for a moment not sure where she should go or what she should do.

"Granger!" Malfoy yelled over the din in the room.

She almost jumped out of her skin. She turned to look at his face. His jaw was tense, his eyes were that dark slate grey that reminded her of thunderstorms, and his lips were thinned. She could tell that he was angry, but there was something else swirling in the vortex that were his eyes. Before she could say anything to him, he was pulling her along the hallway.

He gently (as Malfoy could) shoved her into his office and shut the door. He placed a Silencing Charm upon the room and leaned against his desk. Hermione stood ramrod straight in front of him. He sighed, pinched the bridge of his nose, looked down at his shiny, expensive shoes before looking back up at her.

"I don't have much time to explain, so I'm just going to tell you as much as I can. Do try to keep up."

Regardless of the dire situation he still had time to be condescending.

She nodded and gave him her rapt attention. He started pacing in front of his desk as he spoke.

"As I told you, Blaise is dead. How, we are not sure of yet. Who, also unsure of that little fact. Also, the Parkinsons have been attacked tonight as well. We do not know if it happened before or after Blaise's murder. Elaine Parkinson is dead, but Pansy survived. She is currently locked in an interrogation room. And before you interrupt me, I saw to that myself. And no one can get in unless I give them clearance and I'm not. If I were to give someone clearance, it would be you, _only_. "

Hermione was touched by his words. It meant he trusted her. He didn't come right out and say it, but he did in a way. She felt her heart swell at the implication, but she didn't let it go to her head.

"I'll need you start administering Truth Serum to all the employees."

"Where's Vivian?"

"She went to talk to Kingsley."

Hermione nodded. "How are we going to do this and do we have enough serum for the department?"

"We'll use the other interrogation room and we do. Thankfully we ordered more months ago."

"What will you be doing?" Hermione asked before she could stop herself. Regardless of her not knowing where they stood, she still wanted to make sure he'd be safe.

"I'll be investigating the Parkinson home. And I will be taking Potter with me."

Hermione almost smiled at his comment. It alluded to their conversations months ago. He had taken what she said to heart and actually was going to follow it.

Hermione figured that was all he had to tell her. She turned to leave, but hesitated. She turned her head to look at his stony demeanor. "Thank you," she told him simply before leaving the room and heading to do her job.

**~-O-~**

Sitting in the interrogation room for several hours asking the same questions over and over again could possibly be described as monotonous. And that's exactly how Hermione described it. She was both relieved and perturbed that her co-workers all cleared. She was sure that it had been an inside job, but it hadn't. Hermione slumped back in her chair and closed her eyes. She knew it was late and she was exhausted.

She couldn't have nodded off for more than ten minutes when she felt herself being gently shaken awake. Her eyes opened slowly. Grey eyes were staring down at her. Her breath caught in her throat.

"You're alive," she yawned sitting up.

She heard him chuckle. "Yeah. There wasn't any danger, Granger."

Hermione laughed at his rhyme. "Did you find anything?"

Draco shook his head. "No. He killed her just like Nott. Did you find anything?"

"No, not at all. I was bored out of my bloody mind," she said stretching.

"Well, I'm sorry about that, Granger."

"As you should be. You put me on this job."

He chuckled again. "I think I like this Granger better."

Hermione felt herself blush. "And what Granger is that?"

"Tired. Now, go home and rest. We'll need you back here in the morning."

Draco held out his hand to her and she took it gratefully. She felt a surge of energy run up her arm. She pulled her hand back and looked at him wide-eyed. She looked his face over for any indication that he felt that. After seeing his confused expression, she figured he hadn't.

"Are you all right, Granger?"

"Yes. I'm just delirious, I guess."

Draco arched an eyebrow, but otherwise didn't make any comments. Hermione walked through the door rubbing her left arm. The surge hadn't hurt. It felt like when your arm fell asleep and it was waking up again. It was uncomfortable, but otherwise fine because you knew it was going to stop eventually.

They walked to Vivian's office. Hermione grabbed the floo powder. She was about to throw it into the fire, but stopped. "Wait, what about Pansy?"

"She'll be safe. I transfigured a bed out of the table in the room and she has everything she needs. No one will be able to get in unless it is you or I. I'll be camping out in my office for the night."

Hermione looked at him for a long time. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, Granger. I know how your bloody Gryffindor compassion works and I'm fine. Now, go. You're tired and you need all the energy you can get for you and...the baby."

Hermione nodded, still unsure about leaving Malfoy alone after what happened. She was about to say something else, but he stopped her.

"Granger, if you don't leave this office right now I'm going to burn the books in your office. I'll be fine. Now, go," he said firmly, but she could hear the amusement in his voice. It was odd, but she had to admit that she liked it.

"Fine, fine! I'm going. Goodnight, Draco," she said throwing the powder in the fireplace and calling out her for her apartment.

"Goodnight...Hermione," she heard before she swirled out of sight and to her flat.

**~-O-~**

When Hermione came in that morning, she noticed that her department was (thankfully) not in chaos. She walked to her office and dropped off her things. She made her way to Draco's office and knocked. She waited a few seconds before walking in. She found him curled up on a transfigured cot. She watched him sleep for a moment before she felt that she was intruding.

Hermione was about to turn and walk back out of the office when she heard Draco groan behind her. She watched anxiously as he turned on his back, but didn't wake.

"D-don't hurt her!" He yelled.

Hermione felt uncertain about what to do. Should she leave and let him wake naturally from his nightmare or should she wake him? Would he be angry?

She walked slowly up to Draco's cot and knelt down as best as she could. She reached out a shaky hand and moved his hair out of his face. She saw his features calm under her simple touch. He let out a sigh that sounded close to contentment. Hermione was intrigued by this. She kept running her hands through his hair. She knew that this was _terrible_ idea, but she couldn't stop herself. Many times over the years of her...acquaintanceship with Draco Malfoy, she had wondered what his hair felt like under her fingers. It was a strange inquiry, but here she was.

Hermione didn't noticed Draco's change in breathing pattern signaling that he was awake until she heard his voice. Her fingers stilled in his hair and she quickly stood back up and moved a step away.

"I-I'm sorry," she said in a tremulous voice.

He didn't say anything at first. He simply sat up and rubbed his fisted hands over his eyes. "What time is it?" He asked in a gravely, sleep-heavy voice.

"It's about eight."

"Shit!" He cursed quietly. "I slept through my alarm."

"Erm, if you want to pop back to your house and shower and change, I'll tell Vivian. I'm sure she'll understand."

He looked up at her. His grey eyes looked silver in the morning light. "All right. I'll be back in ten."

Hermione nodded and watched as he made his out of his office. She walked out closing the door behind her. She was sure that it would lock after her. She walked to Vivian's office. She stuck her head in and told her that Draco would be back in a few moments.

"Hermione, we should talk."

Hermione looked at her boss and sat down in her usual seat.

"Okay."

"You'll be taking off work soon and you'll be gone for several weeks."

Hermione nodded.

"All right. With this case still going on as it is, we'll need to get help for Draco."

Hermione nodded again feeling her stomach sink at the thought of being replaced.

"I was wondering if Draco or his temporary partner needs to confer with you at some point, they can."

"Yes. That's fine." She had to admit that she was glad to hear that this new partner would be temporary.

"Good. That will be all."

Hermione stood feeling like nothing more than an invaluable source of knowledge for Vivian and the department. She didn't feel human at all. She promised herself after this case, she was switching departments immediately.

As Hermione made her way back down the hall to her office, she noticed Draco walking towards her. She noticed that he looked back to his usual presentable self. She gave him a smile. He didn't return it, but he gave her a nod.

"We'll need to speak to Pansy," he told her.

"I figured. Now?"

He nodded and turned on his heel to walk to way he had come. Hermione followed him. She noticed she always followed him. He could be leading her to her imminent death and she would follow him. And that was frightening thought, but she knew that he wouldn't do that. She trusted him as he trusted her.

Draco was holding the door open for her by the time she got to the room. She walked in and sat down. She took out her parchment and quill. Draco walked to his chair and sat down with his hands on the table. Pansy was sitting in the chair opposite of them.

Even though she had slept in this very room the night before, she looked like she had had a good night's sleep and had groomed herself accordingly. And that would be the only thing that Hermione Granger felt jealousy toward Pansy Parkinson. Pansy hadn't really changed since their Hogwarts years. Her hair was the only thing that was different; it was longer. Other than that, she felt sympathy towards the girl. She had just lost her mother.

"Pansy," Hermione said by way of greeting.

"Granger," she said with her usual high voice, but there wasn't an animosity behind it like there had been when they were teenagers.

"Do you remember anything?" Draco asked the customary question.

Pansy nodded. "I didn't see much of him on the account that I was running for my life. But I heard him speak to my mother."

"We'll have to check your memories later," Hermione informed him.

"How did you escape?" Draco asked

"Once I saw him kill my mother, which wasn't how I would imagine a wizard to kill someone, I took off. I knew I couldn't help her any longer so I needed to get myself out of there. I heard him barreling after me, but I didn't stop. I got through my front door and out past the anti-apparation ward before I left and came here."

Hermione nodded writing down everything she said. "How did he kill your mother?"

"H-he used something Muggle. I've seen it before, but I don't know what it's called."

"I'll identify it when we look through your memories."

Pansy nodded.

"We'll have to keep you somewhere safe. It seems the murderer wants to keep his victims quiet no matter what. We saw that with Nott and Blaise."

"How did Blaise die?" Pansy asked Draco.

"We don't know yet. We'll know once we're done speaking to you."

She blinked and looked down.

"Until we find a place, you'll stay in here. It's safe. Only Hermione and I can get in."

"Thank you," she said quietly.

Draco nodded and stood. Hermione figured she should do the same. Once outside, she scrambled to walk at Draco's pace.

"Slow down!"

Draco slowed and then stopped. Hermione walked around him and faced him. "It's hard to keep up now with the extra weight. We're going back to St. Mungo's?"

"Yes. We need to find out what happened to Blaise," he said before resuming his walk, but Hermione noted a lot slower than he had originally.

They left the Ministry and out into the cool weather. Hermione wrapped her cloak closer to her body as they made their way to the hospital. They took the lift down to the basement. Hermione shuttered. She hated it down here. It was just so creepy and foreboding.

Kirk was in his white robes and scrubs as he was looking over Blaise's body. When he heard the door open, he looked up and spotted the two of them.

"Well, hello. I figured I'd be seeing the two of you again."

"Of course, it's our job," Draco said evenly.

"Right. So you're here to find out what happened to this man, yes?"

Hermione nodded.

"He was poisoned, but it wasn't rat poison like that Nott fellow. Arsenic this time."

"What?" Hermione gasped.

"Yes, but I think it was introduced to his system slowly, not all at once."

"So, it could have been anyone that gave it to him?"

"Yes."

"Fuck!" Draco swore. "This is getting ridiculous. Thank you, Kirk," he said before leaving the room.

Hermione thanked him as well before leaving too.

"Draco, slow down."

He stopped abruptly and turned to face her. "This case is...so complicated!" He said frustrated. "We know virtually nothing about the killer. He's using Muggle tactics and he's getting away with it all!"

"Calm down, Draco. We still have to view Pansy's memories. We might find something."

He took a deep breath and let out through his mouth. "You're right."

"And I was thinking, we need to find somewhere for Pansy to live until we figure all of this out, right? She can live with me."

"Absolutely not!" Draco bellowed.

"Why?"

His face grew red and he stared at her. "Because she'll live with me." With that, he walked down the hall to the lift leaving Hermione standing there gaping.

She charged after him and walked into the open lift. "And her living with you is a good idea how?" She demanded.

"Because I can protect her like I couldn't for Nott."

Hermione stared at him for a moment. "You didn't do anything wrong with Nott."

She saw his jaw clench.

"It's true! You said it, pride. He couldn't stand being taken care of and he left while you were gone. You couldn't have babysat him. It's tragic what happened to him, but you couldn't have stopped him. And having Pansy live with you won't make you feel better. You'll always feel guilty. So let me take her in."

He looked at her. "No," he said softly.

They were walking back to work now and Hermione was brooding. Once they reached her office, Draco closed the door.

"And why won't you let me do this?"

"Because you'll be putting yourself and your child's life in danger! Don't you realize that? The killer _always _comes back for the victims he didn't kill. You know that."

"I do, but I'm going on maternity leave soon therefore I can watch Pansy. I'll have you, Harry, and Ron install the best and most powerful wards you can. We'll be safe."

Draco raked his hands through his hair. There was a knock on his door before he could say anything. It opened emitting Harry.

"Am I interrupting something?" He asked looking back and forth between them.

"Actually, tell your hardheaded best friend that she can't take Pansy on as a roommate considering there's a fucking killer after her!" Draco yelled pointing at Hermione.

Hermione crossed her arms. "And tell your thick co-worker that he can't take her in because they're both ex-Death Eaters and that's what the killer seems to go after!"

They were both panting, furious that the other couldn't see their point on the matter. Harry kept looking between the two of them.

"Hermione does have a point, Malfoy," Harry started. Hermione gave him a smile in victory. "But Malfoy also has a point, Hermione. You do have to worry about what could happen to you since the murderer will probably want to come back after Pansy."

"And I understand that. I told him that you, he, and Ron could put wards around my flat. It'll be all right."

Harry sighed knowing he wasn't going to win. He looked at Draco who still seemed angry, but less than before.

Hermione felt that they were conceiting to her and she couldn't help but feel the victory of it all.

"It'll be fine," she said again.

Draco looked up at her. "If I agree to this, we'll need to have a faster way of communicating to one another if something goes wrong. Floos and Patronuses are handy, but they take too long. And also, you are to only let people you know connect to your floo."

"I know, dad," Hermione said with a smile.

He clenched his job. "Shut up, Granger."

He chuckled. "I'm only joking. But can we do this tomorrow? I mean the warding and such. I can make something that will help us communicate quicker, don't worry. So, we're fine, right?"

Draco gave her a curt nod. Harry nodded as well.

"Great. That'll give me time to arrange the flat for Pansy."

"Sure. I'm leaving," Draco said, Harry following him out.

Once the door was closed, Draco looked at Harry. "She is bloody frustrating. How have you dealt with her all this time?"

"A copious amount of patience."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's note: <strong>Hello! This is probably the fastest I've updated. It's all because of you wonderful people! You keep me going with your reviews, favorites, and alerts. Anyway, the voting is still on (Kyleigh, Aurora, and Lyra). Until next time!


	12. I've Seen Enough

**Dear Child**

**Chapter Twelve**

**I've seen Enough**

* * *

><p><em>Month Nine<em>

Draco, Harry, and Ron (reluctantly) came over to ward the flat for Hermione and the baby and Pansy's safety. It had been an interesting day to say the least. One that Hermione surely never wanted to repeat ever again.

Harry and Ron had arrived first. It was good to see the two of them. It seemed like it had been too long since they three of them had been together outside of work. Actually Hermione was sure the last time they had been together was at Ginny's baby shower, but it wasn't the same.

"So how have the two of you been?" Hermione asked Harry and Ron as they waited for Draco to arrive.

"I'm been as good as I can be at a time like this. Gin's going to pop any day now and she's freaking out and so am I," Harry chuckled rubbing the back of his neck.

Hermione smiled at him. Harry Potter was going to be a father any day now. It seemed a bit unreal. She still remembered the scrawny boy she met on the train. And how that boy grew into the man that stood in front of her now. She still saw glimpses of the boy he used to be, but now he was more confident and sure of everything he did.

"I can't believe you're going to be a dad," Ron said furrowing a brow.

"Oh me either. I don't think I'll really feel like I am until I hold James in my arms and actually see that he's a real tangible object," a smile spread across his face.

Hermione couldn't fight the smile that spread across her face. "You and Gin will be amazing parents."

"Thanks 'Mione."

"So how are you?" Ron asked.

Hermione was shocked, but she didn't show it. "I'm fine. She loves to move about and I can't seem to get in a comfortable position."

"That's how Gin feels, too."

"So how's things with you and Demezla?" Hermione asked Ron.

"Oh we're fine. We've just been working a lot and haven't had much time to spend with one another."

"I'm sorry, Ron. Hopefully after this case gets solved then you'll both have more time."

"Hopefully."

They were quiet for a few minutes until the floo roared to life emitting Draco Malfoy looking haughty as ever.

"Hello Draco," Hermione greeted him.

"Granger," he nodded in her direction.

"Malfoy," Harry and Ron greeted at the same time.

He nodded at them curtly, but otherwise didn't say a word.

"Where's Pansy?"

"I'll bring her over once we get everything set up."

"Shall we get this over with then?" Ron asked the group.

The three men walked outside, Hermione waddling after them. She watched as they walked around her building wands held aloft and muttering spells. She was glad that it was dark and that her building was so small. Once they were done, they came back to work inside. Hermione was glad they were acting civil and grown up. She supposed since they had been working in the same department that they've had time to get used to the other.

Once they were done, Hermione remembered she charmed a coin the same way she did when she, Ron, and Harry started Dumbledore's Army.

"Oh, Draco! I just remembered I promised you I'd make something so that we could get in touch faster," she pulled out the galleon and handed it to him.

He raised an eyebrow.

"I cast a protean charm on this galleon. I'm sure you remember back in fifth year when you busted us."

"Oh, yes. I remember now."

"Yes, well this does the same thing. You can send me messages and I can send you messages. It'll get warm if I send you something or if I summon you."

Draco nodded. "Good to know."

"Wait, you're giving _him_ one?" Ron asked from his seat on the couch.

"Yes. We're working on this case together. And if he needs to contact me or vice versa because of the case or anything else, then this is the fastest way."

"You both don't have to talk to me like I'm not in the room," Draco drawled.

Hermione looked at him. "Sorry about that."

"Right. Well, I'm going to go get Pansy," Draco said and left through the floo.

"What is your problem? We're all thirty now and there's no need to get upset. He's my partner for this case!"

"I know that, but we can protect you, too!"

"Yes, but Ronald think about it. Harry has a baby that's clearly on his way and he won't have time to take care of his family, work, and take care of me! I refuse to spread him so thin! And you can protect me too, but you told me earlier that you have a lot of work to do. You can barely see your girlfriend nonetheless protect me. This is part of Draco's job. Why is this such a big deal?" Hermione shrieked, her cheeks flushed from anger.

"Calm down, 'Mione," Harry said soothingly. "And she's right Ron. This isn't a big deal. Draco wouldn't let anything happen to them."

Ron looked skeptically at Harry before he finally agreed.

"Thank you," Hermione sighed and raked a hand through her wild locks.

"Well, I think we're going to go. I'll keep you updated on Gin and hopefully we'll see you soon."

Hermione gave them a smile and hugged them both. "See you."

"Bye," they both said and walked out of the front door to apparate.

Hermione sat down on her couch and let her head rest on the back of the couch. She closed her eyes and sighed. She knew that nothing good would come out of this, but she had hoped. At least Ron got it now.

She heard the floo activate and she opened her eyes and lifted her head. Pansy Parkinson came tumbling out. She brushed soot from her robes and moved out of the way so Draco could have room to exit the fireplace.

"Hello Pansy," Hermione greeted the woman.

"Granger," she said without malice. Her tone would always surprise her. She was so used to hearing Pansy say her name with such venom and now...

Draco stepped out of the floo and brushed himself off. He didn't have the same arrogant look he had when Harry and Ron were there. He looked like he usually did when Hermione was around him. He seemed a bit more relaxed, but his features were still blank.

"I suppose I should show you around?" Hermione said scooting to the edge of the couch. Draco walked over and held out his hand to help her. She took it gladly and stood.

Hermione walked around and showed Pansy the modest flat. When they returned to the living room, Draco was looking at Hermione's mantle. There were pictures of herself, Harry, Ron, her parents, and the Weasleys. He had one of her ultrasound pictures in his hand, but quickly put it back when they entered. He hurriedly spun around with a bored expression on his face. Hermione almost wanted to chuckle.

She didn't mind that he was looking at her pictures. She was sure that if their roles were reversed she would look at his pictures on his mantle - if he had any. She was curious about Draco. There was no denying it, but she knew that he would only let her see what he wanted her to, but sometimes she caught glimpses of things she was sure he didn't know he let her see. It only piqued her curiosity more.

"Do you two have everything?" He asked after he cleared his throat.

"Yes and even if we don't, I can go out and get it," Hermione assured him.

"Right. Of course. Well, if you need me..." he trailed off.

"I know, Draco," Hermione smiled.

"Well goodnight."

"Night."

Draco took some powder from the bowl above the fireplace and left.

**~-O-~**

It was now just Hermione and Pansy and Hermione couldn't help but wonder what the hell they were going to do.

"Would you like a cuppa?" Hermione asked her guest.

"Sure."

Hermione walked into the kitchen and started the kettle. Once it went off, Hermione took it off the stove and poured them both a cup. Hermione brought their mugs, sugar, and cream into the living room. She set it down on the table between them.

"I didn't know how you made your tea, so I just brought everything out with me," Hermione prattled on.

"It's all right. Thank you."

They were silent again. Hermione felt like she had to fill the silence somehow, but she didn't know what to talk to Pansy about except the case and she knew she didn't want to speak about that right now.

"So how far along are you?" Pansy asked her, looking over the rim of her mug.

"33 weeks and 4 days," Hermione answered rubbing her stomach. "Almost there."

"Wow. Who's the father?"

Hermione bit her lip. "I don't know."

"What?" Pansy asked aghast.

"Before you think that I went whoring around, that isn't the case at all. I went to a sperm bank."

"Really? That's interesting. A good idea honestly. Eliminates the man and you get what you want. Good on you, Granger."

Hermione couldn't help but laugh. "Thanks."

They were quiet again. Hermione felt a bit more relaxed now that she and Pansy cleared the air.

"He cares about you, you know," Pansy spoke up.

Hermione whipped her head around to look at the woman across from her. "What are you talking about?" Her heart was beating ridiculously fast. She couldn't be talking about who she thought she was, could she?

"Draco. You can tell," she sighed before she took a sip of her tea.

Hermione laughed outright. "You've really lost it, Parkinson! You're mad!"

Pansy sat up and raised a perfectly shaped eyebrow. "I may be clueless about a lot of things, Granger, but I can tell when someone cares. You just don't want to think about it."

Hermione turned her body and sat facing Pansy. "Why would he possibly care about me? We've hated each other since we were eleven! And now, we tolerate each other because we have to work together."

Pansy snorted. "Spare me the ridiculous excuses! I can tell you care about him as much as he cares for you, but you're both scared."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Sure, Pansy," she grabbed her empty cup, the sugar, and the cream and headed back into the kitchen.

Pansy walked in a moment later. "I'm sorry, Hermione. I was being rude, but...just listen to me. I know what I'm talking about."

Hermione looked at her. "I'll try."

Pansy put her mug in the sink. "I think we should work on my memories tonight."

Hermione shook her head. "Not tonight. You should get some rest and I should, too. Then tomorrow we can work on them, all right?"

"Okay," Pansy turned and walked back to the living room.

Hermione came in moments later and transfigured the couch into a bed. "It should be a lot more comfortable than that cot."

"Thanks."

"Of course. Well, goodnight. If you need anything, feel free to wake me."

"All right. Night."

Hermione walked back to her bedroom feeling exhaustion radiate off of her in waves. She gently laid down on her bed and stretched out. It felt so good to finally rest. Hermione closed her eyes and sighed.

She thought about what Pansy had said. She knew that she cared about Draco, that much was obvious the morning she brushed his hair from his face. And she couldn't help but feel that it was ridiculous considering she was pregnant and he wouldn't want her. Why would he? They hated each other for so long and so what if they got along now. They had to. They were working together, but not for long. She was going to transfer after this case. If they ever solved it.

But she thought about it, why would Draco Malfoy care for her? She wasn't anyone to him; just his partner. She sighed and put her arm over her eyes. She shouldn't even be worrying about this right now. She had other things - more important things - to worry about.

Once Hermione cut off her thoughts, she finally drifted off to sleep.

**~-O-~**

The next morning, Hermione was up early. She moved around the flat quietly, not wanting to wke Pansy.

"Granger, I'm awake. No need to tiptoe around," Pansy said in a hoarse voice.

"Sorry. I tried to be as quiet as I could."

"You're fine. I'm a light sleeper."

"Well, I have an appointment this morning. Here," Hermione reached out to give her a galleon, much like the one she gave Draco.

Pansy opened a blue eye and looked at the galleon in Hermione's hand. "What's that?"

"It's a galleon that I cast a protean charm on so that if you needed me, you could simply squeeze this and I'll know."

Pansy took the charmed galleon from Hermione's hand. "Oh. Thanks."

"Mhm. I won't be long. It's just a check up."

"Oh ok."

Hermione nodded and disappeared in a whirlwind of green flames.

She stepped out of the floo on the floor that Healer Brennan's office was located. She walked into the office.

"Hello Hermione."

"Hello."

"You can just come on back. You're Healer Brennan's only appointment today."

Hermione opened the door and walked to the first room. She sat on the examining table and waited. Healer Brennan walked in a moment later all smiles.

"Hello Hermione!"

"Hello."

"And how are you feeling today?"

"As good as I can at this point in time."

She smiled at her. "Well, let's have a look at her, shall we?"

Hermione did as she usually did, laid back and pulled her shirt up to her bra line. The gel was placed on her swollen belly and she waited until the machine was on.

"There she is," Healer Brennan pointed Hermione's daughter out on the screen. Hermione couldn't help but smile and be enthralled by the little person on the screen.

"She looks to be growing normally. Everything seems to be in order. Let's get you cleaned off and then we'll talk about your birthing plan," Healer Brennan handed her a towel to whip herself off.

Hermione took the towel and cleaned herself off. She pulled her shirt down and sat up. Healer Brennan sat down in a chair in front of her.

"Okay, so what do you want to do?"

"I want to do this naturally, but I think I want to give birth in water. I've been reading about it and it seems the best plan for me."

"Very well," she wrote everything down on her charts. "I won't be seeing you until almost the end."

"It's getting close. It's unbelievable."

"I know, but you'll have your daughter in the end."

Hermione smiled and got off of the table. "Thank you Healer Brennan. I'll see you in a few weeks."

Hermione walked out of the office and out into the hall. As she made her way to the fireplace at the end of the hall, a patronus - a stag - came up to her.

"Ginny's had the baby!"

Hermione smiled and walked to the lift. She walked to the receptionist and asked for Ginny Potter's room. The woman told her and Hermione took the lift to Ginny's floor.

When Hermione walked into the room, she saw a tired, yet content Ginny and a grinning Harry. Hermione smiled at the two of them.

"Congrats you two!" Hermione hugged Ginny and then Harry.

"Thank you! You have to see him. Come," Harry stood and walked over to the basinet. Hermione walked over with him and peered into it. A baby with tufts of black hair was slumbering peacefully. Hermione reached down and caressed the infant's cheek with her finger.

"He's precious!"

"Thank you."

"He looks just like you, Harry."

"I know, but he does have my eyes," Ginny smiled from her bed.

"Where's everyone?"

"Mum and dad are on their way and I'm sure the rest of the family is as well. We told them I was in labor, but we told them we'd tell them when James was born," Ginny said.

"Well, I'll leave you two to enjoy the quiet before everyone gets here. I'll come visit tomorrow," she hugged them both again.

"All right. We love you."

"I love you both," she waved and walked back out of the room. James was finally here. She couldn't believe it.

She smiled all the way to her flat. Pansy was sitting on the couch reading one of Hermione's various books. "Why are you so happy?"

"Well, everything's fine with the baby and Ginny and Harry had their son. He's adorable!"

"Really? That's good," Pansy smiled and turned back to her book.

"So do you want to work on your memories now?"

Pansy put down her book. "Sure."

"All right. Sit in this chair and we'll get started." Hermione moved from her chair and walked over to sit on the table. "Think of everything you can that happened that night."

Pansy nodded and closed her eyes. Hermione waited for the woman to tell her she was ready. Pansy opened her blue eyes and nodded at her.

Hermione raised her wand and pressed the tip to Pansy's temple. The silver strings of memory was attached firmly as she got up and grabbed her pensive. She put the memories into the swirling liquid and bent over it.

_Hermione stood next to Pansy. The woman was sitting in her bedroom looking at the newest issue of _Witch Weekly_. Hermione heard a sound and she and Pansy's heads both shot up. Pansy got off the bed, grabbing her wand as she passed her nightstand. Hermione followed her out of her room and into the dark hallway. Pansy lit the tip of her wand as she walked towards the noise._

_They stopped outside of a sitting room, from what Hermione could tell. Hermione could see that Pansy was breathing heavily. She was scared and Hermione couldn't blame her. Pansy peered around the corner and saw her mother's face. It was white as a sheet. She saw the person who was threatening her mother, but they wore a black cloak and their back was to them._

_"Listen to me, Ms. Parkinson...we won't harm you if you just comply."_

_"What do you want?" Hermione heard the woman ask in a voice quaking with fear._

_"We told you. We sent you letters telling you in detail what we wanted and what would happen to you if you don't comply."_

_"I'm not going to turn myself and my daughter into Azkaban when we didn't do anything! We weren't Death Eaters! We weren't sympathizers! We stayed neutral!"_

_"Yes, but staying neutral is as guilty as being a Death Eater. You could have fought for the Light."_

_"We were scared. We knew what you people thought of us. We knew that you would have turned us away."_

_The killer laughed. "We wouldn't have if you were telling the truth. All we would have to do is give you both Veritaserum and we would know that you weren't on Voldermort's side."_

_Pansy's mother didn't say anything else. _

_"What since you aren't going to comply with us, you'll have to die. We can't let you run free while the rest of your little clan rots away in Azkaban. It isn't fair to them, isn't that right?"_

_Again the woman said nothing. _

_"Any last words?"_

_"You don't have to do this! What is this going to prove?"_

_"That everyone has a choice and even if that choice isn't one that chooses a side, it is still very much a choice. Now, you will learn that by my mercy killings, those are also very much a choice."_

_"This isn't going to prove anything by killing us!"_

_"I already told you."_

_Hermione saw the man take something out of his pocket. It was a gun. She knew that the killer was using Muggle tactics to kill ex-Death Eaters, but to actually see this happen. She turned away. Pansy whipped around the corner and held up her wand._

_"Put that thing down!" She said in a steady voice._

_Hermione looked and saw that her wand arm was steady. The killer didn't turn around._

_"Ah Pansy, it's about time you joined us. You're next."_

_"No, I'm not. And my mother won't be killed either."_

_"That's where you're wrong," the man said as he pulled the trigger. The bullet entered Elaine Parkinson's heart. Hermione let out a shriek. _

_She saw Pansy's wand arm start to tremble, but she kept it pointed at the man. He turned around. He wore a mask. One that reminded Hermione of the Death Eater's masks. The gun was pointed at Pansy._

_"You see, there's no stopping me."_

_"And there's no stopping me."_

_"We'll see about that." The man went to squeeze the trigger, but Pansy muttered a spell and black smoke started pouring from her wand. She took off as the room started filling with it._

_She ran down the hall, the way she had come from her room. Hermione ran behind her._

_"You fucking bitch! I'll fucking get you! And after I'm done, I'm going after that pounce Malfoy and his mother."_

_Pansy kept going, running down the stairs two at a time. A bullet hit the banister behind them. Pansy sped up and ran across the foyer to the front door. She wrenched the door open and ran as fast as her legs could carry her. Hermione knew they were nearing the end of the wards when Pansy started slowing. She twisted and was gone landing in the middle of Diagon Alley._

Hermione lifted her head from the pensive and sat down. Her heart and breathing were accelerated. "Holy shit! I have to warm Draco!"

Hermione took the coin out of her pocket. She fisted it in her hand and felt it warm to her touch. She knew that Draco would feel it as she gripped it. She waited a few minutes. He wasn't there. She knew that he would come as soon as he felt the coin activate. He had to.

As she gripped the coin again, hard enough to leave an imprint in her palm, she felt a pain shoot through her and then warm liquid running down her legs. She looked down.

"No! No-no-no-no-no! Not now. It's too early! And Draco...fuck!"

"What's wrong?" Pansy asked alarm.

"I think I'm going into labor. It's too early for the baby to come. She'd survive, but she's a month early. And Draco isn't answering. Pansy, do me a favor. Owl Harry and tell to he needs to go to Draco's home and see if he's okay. I need to get to the hospital. Can you do that for me?"

Pansy nodded mutely.

"Thank you. This is important. So, go now!"

Pansy darted out of the room and into the kitchen.

Hermione summoned the bag she had packed for the baby and walked to the floo. She was not ready for this.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's note: <strong>Hello! Longer chapter! So much happened! My goodness. Sorry it took me so long to write this! But here it is! But next chapter, some Draco POV (if you want that) and you finally get to know the baby's name! We're nearing the end of this fic and I'm sad to see it go, but I love you all. You've been fantastic since the start! Reviews are love.


	13. In the Hospital

**Dear Child**

**Chapter Thirteen**

**In the Hospital**

* * *

><p><em>Birth<em>

Draco felt the coin burn hotly in his pocket. His immediate reaction was to go to Hermione and Pansy, but Draco felt the wards around the Manor shiver as someone crossed them. He knew that it had to be someone that he recognized, but wasn't sure if they should be visiting his home. He felt the coin burn again and he was torn. He promised that he'd be there whenever she activated the coin, but something was telling him this wasn't right.

He drew his wand and walked to the sitting area that his mother was currently occupying. She looked up when he entered, her blue eyes sparkling in the late morning sun. But the twinkle in her eyes soon diminished when she saw the stern expression Draco wore.

"What's wrong, Draco?" She asked starting to stand.

He held his hand up. "I don't know. Please go to the safe room. Lock it and don't come out no matter what happens. I'll come for you."

"Draco-"

"Mother, please. Just go. I'll come get you," he said looking at her.

She walked quickly over to her only son - the only man she had left in her life - and hugged him before leaving the sitting room and going down the hall.

Draco heard her shut the door and the felt the disturbance of magic. She was locked in and safe. He let out a breath and walked quietly down the hall to the stairs. He strained his ears to hear anything, but there wasn't anything to hear. He wondered if it had been a stray animal that had wandered through the wards, but he doubted it. He knew what he felt was human.

As he continued to creep down the stairs, he realized the coin had stopped activating and he hoped that whatever Granger was trying to contact him about wasn't an emergency. He wouldn't forgive himself if something happened to her, the baby, and Pansy. He knew he plan was stupid, but he went along with it like a dolt. He should have been more adamant about taking Pansy. She wouldn't be in danger.

But he was ripped out of his thoughts by another noise. Someone was in the Manor. He got to the bottom of the stairs and looked around. Nothing. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. He swallowed a few times to dry to wet his dry mouth and throat, but it was to no avail. He was scared, but he pushed it away. There was no time for that. People got killed because of that.

He let his anger bubble up replacing the fear he felt a second ago. Someone was in his home. Someone was trying to possibly harm him and his mother and he wouldn't stand for that. He walked to the middle of the foyer. He turned his back to the front door and looked around.

"Show yourself. I know you're here," he said loud enough for his voice to carry through his house. He knew the person had to be close by. He had to know that he knew there was someone in his home.

Draco heard clapping and swiveled his head to see a figure dressed in long black robes leaning against the doorframe to his dining room. He pushed himself off of the frame and stood straight. He clasped his hands behind his back looking very much at ease.

"Well, you do seem to make this a lot easier," he sneered.

"I don't like playing games," Draco said evenly.

"And neither do I and I have to commend you. You're the first one who hasn't shown fear. I hate when they snivel. It seems like that's all they do. I find it funny considering they watched the people they tortured and killed do the very same thing I watched them do. Isn't that a bit of irony?"

Draco raised an eyebrow. "It's plain and simple, no one wants to die."

"Yes, wasn't that the very reason that drove your master into insanity and desperation. And it ultimately led to his demise."

"Yes, but he was a fool and so were the people who hung on his every word."

"And you were one of them."

"Yes, but that wasn't by choice. It was something I _had_ to do."

"Yes, yes. I've heard this story many times. Frankly, I'm tired of hearing it. Draco Malfoy gets out serving a life sentence in Azkaban because he was coerced into serving the most evil man in all existence. I call bullshit."

"Call it what you want. I know the truth and that's all the matters."

"Right. So, where's your mother?"

"Don't worry about her. This is obviously between you and I."

"You are a good adversary! I'm glad I saved you for last, well, almost."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, Pansy Parkinson is still alive and she and I have unfinished business together. But I can kill her after I'm done with you and your mummy."

"That won't happen. I'll kill you before anything happens to either of them."

"Ah yes, Draco Malfoy protector of the weak and helpless. I suppose that's why you let Hermione Granger take Pansy into her home. You knew that Hermione was extremely capable of taking care of herself and that's why you let her take Pansy. If I'm not mistaken, I think you care about Granger."

Draco stiffened, but shook it off. "My personal life doesn't concern you."

"I think it does. You see, once I kill you and your mother, I'm moving on to Pansy. And since Pansy is currently living with Hermione, I can't leave any stone unturned. _Meaning_ I'll have to kill Granger and her unborn child. It's a pity because she was on the right side from the beginning and she has nothing to do with my mercy killings."

Draco gripped his wand tighter and clenched his teeth. "You aren't going to touch her!"

"Temper, temper! You do care about her. _How_ _sweet_. It seems you _have_ changed, but that change alone will not absolve you from your sins."

"And killing us ex-Death Eaters and those you assumed associated with the Dark will absolve yours?"

"I'm just doing the world a favor. Honestly Malfoy, you're so smart sometimes you're dumb."

Draco snorted. "No, I think I get it. You're righteous. You think you're righteous and this is your sole mission in life, but you're wrong. You're just as bad as Voldermort."

The man laughed. "Oh come now, Draco, you of all people know all about being righteous. But I never claimed I was."

"You didn't have to, you said enough."

Draco's wand hand twitched.

"I wouldn't raise that wand of yours."

"And what are you going to do? Use your Muggle weapons on me?"

Draco could hear the smile in his voice. "Yes. I found it fitting. Muggles conquer Wizards after all that Mudblood bullshit that spewed from their mouths over the years."

"How apt," Draco drawled.

The man removed the gun from his pocket. He pointed it at Draco and cocked it. "Now, anything else you would like to say? Snarky or otherwise?"

"Yes, just one. I didn't realize you liked using other people to do your dirty work. It seems so...beneath you, but maybe that's what you want. You want to be someone of power and you have a taste of that now, but it isn't enough. It's never be enough."

"What the fuck are you talking about? I work alone, Malfoy."

Draco smirked. "I thought that, too, but having you in front of me is definitely giving me some clarity. This is completely unlike you, Weasley."

The man took his hood off revealing Ronald Weasley. Draco's smirk widened. "How did you know?"

"It wasn't hard to figure out if you knew what to look for."

**~-O-~**

_(Simultaneously)_

Hermione arrived at St. Mungo's panting heavily both from fear and the pain. She walked to the receptionist desk. The woman looked up surprised.

"I'm-going-into-labor," Hermione said through clenched teeth.

The woman's eyes widened. She called for Healers and grabbed a wheelchair. Hermione sat in it and they wheeled her to the maternity ward.

"Do you need to owl anyone?" One of the Healers asked.

"My mum and dad," she panted.

The same Healer left her side quickly and to the owlery.

The only Healer left pushed Hermione into a room. He helped her get out of the wheelchair and onto the bed. "Who is your Healer?"

"Brennan."

"I'll go get her."

"Thanks," Hermione said before he left the room.

Hermione sat there rubbing her protruding stomach and breathing heavily. She knew that she was going to have this baby sometime today or tomorrow. She wasn't ready. The fear really started setting in. She hoped her mum and dad would get there soon. She needed someone.

And Draco.

What was happening to Draco? He hadn't answered her when she activated the coin. Was he all right? Was Harry on his way there? So many things happening at once.

Right now she had to focus on herself and the birth of her daughter. That was her priority, but she still couldn't help but worry about Draco and his mother. Would the killer come for him today?

Before she could worry about anything else, Healer Brennan came through the door.

"Hello, Hermione. I was hoping to see you soon, but not this soon. How are you feeling?"

Hermione wanted to laugh at her statement, not because it was funny, but because she wouldn't be here if she was okay. Such a stupid question to ask.

"Fantastic," Hermione replied sarcastically.

Healer Brennan just smiled. "Well, I'll have to change into the oh so stylish hospital gown and discard your underwear and lay on the bed and I'll be back."

Hermione smiled before she got up and walked into the bathroom to change. Once free of her clothes, Hermione sat on the bed before lying back. She waited a moment before Healer Brennan knocked and opened the door.

"All right Hermione, we're going to hook you up to a few machines to see what's going on."

Hermione nodded.

Healer Brennan and one of her assistance walked around Hermione's bed and hooked her up to a heart monitor (one for her and the other for the baby) and an ultrasound machine. Healer Brennan looked at the baby for a bit.

"You're definitely in labor."

"Why is she coming so early?"

"Sometimes it happens that way. She'll be fine. You two may have to stay here for a few extra days, but she'll be okay. I'm going to do an internal exam to see how dilated you are."

"All right," Hermione said meekly.

Hermione laid back and waited for the uncomfortable feeling to begin. It was over faster than she thought. Healer Brennan took off her gloves and sat back.

"Well, you're about 1-2 centimeters right now. You have a bit to go, but other than that, everything looks fine. I'll come and check on you again soon." With that, Healer Brennan left the room.

Hermione closed her eyes for a moment. Her door opened again and she opened her eyes to see her mother and father bustling in. Her mother came over and hugged her tightly. Once she released the death grip she had on Hermione, her father took his turn and - thankfully - didn't squeeze too hard.

"The pain isn't too horrible is it, darling?" Her mother asked.

"No, it isn't too bad, _yet_."

Her parents gave her a smile. "I can't believe you're having the baby," her father said.

"Me either. Gin and Harry just had their son today."

"That is amazing. What's his name?"

"James, after Harry's dad."

"That's sweet. And what are you going to name our granddaughter? You've kept mum about that the whole time."

Hermione smiled. "You'll know when she gets here."

Her father laughed. "Always keeping secrets."

Her parents sat down in the two chairs that were against the wall.

"I can't help it, I like to keep everyone in suspense."

The three Grangers laughed.

_(hours later)_

Hermione was in so much pain that she couldn't properly put into words. She thought being curcio-ed was the worst pain she ever felt and arguably it was, but this was pain on a whole different level. She whimpered whenever a contraction hit her. Her mum had moved her chair over to the bed and held her hand.

Healer Brennan had popped in and out of the room several times to check on Hermione. She told her she was progressing rather well. She was up to five centimeters. Hermione felt like it took forever to get to this point and she feared how long it would take to be fully dilated.

In the meantime, Hermione couldn't help but think about Draco. She wanted to know if he was all right. She hoped that her discovery was made in enough time to help him out in any way. And a part of her wished that he was here with her. She wondered where that thought came from. She had admitted to herself already that she cared for the man, but she doubted that he would be sitting where her mother was now holding her hand. Hermione almost laughed as she imagined Draco sitting there looking bored as ever as she squeezed his hand every time she had a contraction. He would likely tell her off for squeezing his delicate long fingers so tightly.

Hermione let out a snort.

"Are you okay, dear?"

Hermione nodded. She couldn't clue her mother in musings. That little daydream was keeping her sanity in check, or was it?

Hermione thought about Pansy. She hoped that she was safe as well. She knew she had to be. The boys did a fine job in putting wards up around her flat. She just hoped that everything would be all right.

**~-O-~**

_(After Hermione left)_

Pansy was in the kitchen, she rummaged through Hermione's drawers as she looked for parchment and a quill. She found the items quick enough and bent over the counter to write a letter quickly to Harry. She folded up the brief, but concise letter and attached it to Hermione's owl. Once that was done, she walked back into the living room.

What she supposed to do now? Hermione was at the hospital having her baby. Draco could potentially be in danger. And Harry Potter was hopefully going to make sure everything was all right. Pansy didn't know what to do with herself.

She wanted to floo to Draco's house to check on him, but she had to stay at Hermione's flat. She couldn't put herself in potential danger. All of the warding would be for naught, but this standing around and doing nothing wasn't helping either.

Pansy paced several times. There was nothing for her to do. She would go insane. Part of her felt that after Potter checked on Draco he'd come to Hermione's flat to check on her too and therefore she would get an update on everything. She hoped.

**~-O-~**

Harry was watching his wife hold his son. He never thought he'd be this happy in his life, but he was clearly wrong. He was happier than he could ever imagine. If someone had told his younger self about the happiness he would feel at age thirty, he would have laughed in their face and told them that they were barking. But his life was perfect. He had a beautiful wife and a beautiful son that was named after the bravest man he knew, his father.

A noise at the window startled him from his thoughts. He turned his head to see Hermione's owl hovering outside. He got up from his chair and walked over to the window and opened it. The owl landed on the windowsill and held out its leg. Harry took the letter and it flew off again. He walked back to his seat and unfolded the letter.

"What's that from?" Ginny asked her husband.

"Pansy Parkinson."

"What? Is everything all right?"

"I don't know. Hermione's here in the hospital. Pansy says she went into early labor. And she said that Draco Malfoy may be the next target. I'm sorry, love, but I have to go."

"It's all right, Harry. It's your job. Be careful."

He walked over to his wife and kissed her forehead before placing a kiss on James's. He walked to the door and gave his family one last look before heading to the fireplace. He grabbed the powder and called out for "Malfoy Manor". He was gone in a whirl of green fire.

Harry walked out of the fireplace and brushed himself off. He took out his wand and surveyed his surroundings. He was in - he was guessing - one of the many foyers. He slowly made his way out of the room wondering which was he should go. He stopped and listened for any noise and he thought he heard voices.

He stalked off towards the voices making sure he didn't make a sound. As he drew nearer, he heard Draco speaking to the killer. He hid himself in the shadows of the room behind the killer.

"- realize you liked using other people to do your dirty work. It seems so...beneath you, but maybe that's what you want. You want to be someone of power and you have a taste of that now, but it isn't enough. It's never be enough."

"What the fuck are you talking about? I work alone, Malfoy."

Harry saw Draco smirk. "I thought that, too, but having you in front of me is definitely giving me some clarity. This is completely unlike you, Weasley."

The man took his hood off revealing Ronald Weasley. Harry was floored. "How did you know?"

"It wasn't hard to figure out if you knew what to look for."

Harry chose that moment to walk out of the room he was hiding in. He saw Draco's eyes move to him, but he moved them back to Ron.

"And what gave me away?"

"Just little things here and there. I won't reveal too much," Draco smiled.

Harry stopped walking and pointed his wand at Ron's body. He couldn't believe this. His _best friend_ was going around killing people. How? Why? Harry was about to open his mouth to stun him when Draco spoke.

"Potter, don't kill him."

Ron whipped his body around and looked at Harry. Surprise was written all over his face before he schooled his features.

"I should have known," Ron said.

"Why are you doing this Ron?" Harry asked desperately.

He smirked, something that showed Harry how much Ron wasn't the person he thought he was. "I'm writing wrongs, Harry."

"This isn't right, Ron. You know that."

"Potter, he isn't himself," Draco said calmly.

Ron looked at Draco as if he forgot the man was there. Harry looked at Draco who was looking at Ron. Harry was about to stun Ron, but caught his attention.

"I wouldn't do that, Potter."

"Why's that?"

Ron held up his gun. "I'll shoot Malfoy if you try anything."

Harry looked at Draco who stared back at him. There was something in his eyes that told him to do it anyway and that he'd be fine. Harry was reluctant. He and Draco weren't friends, but they were still on the same side. And if it was a choice between sparing his life or stunning Ron and possibly getting him killed, he wouldn't want to take the chance, but he had to. Ron was the killer. He would kill again and again until he couldn't any longer. And regardless of how he felt about Ron, he had to help Malfoy.

Harry nodded once at Malfoy before he silently cast stupefy. Before the spell hit Ron, Ron squeezed the trigger and shot Malfoy. Ron and Malfoy both dropped to the ground. Harry bound Ron and took his gun and wand from him.

Harry knelt down next to Draco. His white button down shirt was starting to soak through with blood.

"Draco, I'm going to get you to St. Mungo's okay? Everything's going to be all right," Harry told his quickly.

"W-weasley's been imperused. It's not him...it-it's..." he trailed off.

"Shh Draco. Don't try to talk right now."

Harry stood and levitated Draco. He moved quickly to the foyer that he had come through. He grabbed the floo powder and called out for the hospital. Once they made it to the hospital, Harry heard Draco murmuring behind him.

"My mother..."

"We'll get her. Don't worry Draco. Everything will be fine. I promise you."

The man looked up at Harry and nodded. Harry called for help and Healers took Draco back to a room. Harry wheeled around and ran back to the floo. He called out for Malfoy Manor and hurried to the room Ron was occupying, but when he got there Ron was gone.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's note: <strong>Hello darlings! It seemed to take me an age to finish this. Ah so much to tie up and explain! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. And the baby's name shall be revealed next chapter! Okay reviews are lovely. I am exhausted so I'm going to bed. xx


	14. Glow

**Dear Child**

**Chapter Fourteen**

**Glow**

* * *

><p><em>Aftermath<em>

Discovering that Ron wasn't still bound at stunned at Malfoy Manor sent a panic through Harry. Whoever was controlling him must have come to collect him. He immediately jogged back to the fireplace and called out for Hermione's flat. Pansy was still there and Ron could get in.

He stepped out of the fireplace in Hermione's den. He looked around hoping to see Pansy there, but she wasn't in the room.

"Pansy!" Harry called walking through the flat.

She walked down hallway and into the den. "Yes, Potter?"

He sagged with relief. "Thank Merlin."

"What's wrong? Is Draco okay? Is Hermione okay?"

"I'll give you the abridged version. Hermione's at the hospital having the baby, but that's all I know. Draco was attacked. He got shot and I don't know much more because I had to return to his house to take in the killer, but he's gone. The killer's Ron, but he's been under the Imperius Curse."

Pansy put a hand to her mouth. "Oh wow."

"I know. I'm going to change the wards so only Hermione, me, and Draco can get in. I don't where Ron is and I don't know if the person controlling him would make him come here to kill you since you're alone. I'll be back as soon as I can. I have to go check on everyone."

"That's fine. Go. Keep me posted."

Harry took out his wand and changed the wards before walking to the fireplace. "I will." And he was gone.

**~-O-~**

Hermione had her eyes shut tight and her arm with her fist balled over them. She wanted to shriek in pain, but she bit her lip and refused. She would let out small whimpers here and there. Her parents would pet her hair and tell her it would be all right because it was almost over.

The last time Healer Brennan came in (a half hour ago), she told Hermione that she was well on her way. Hermione noticed she said that every time she came in to check her progress, but this time she had been right. Her cervix was dilated at seven centimeters. She was indeed almost there. She just wanted the pain to stop.

She refused pain relieving potions for the mere fact that she didn't think it was right. She rarely took pain relieving potions for her head nonetheless take them for this. This was nature. And that's what she wanted; natural. Did she regret it? No. It was the worst pain she had ever experienced in her life, but she wouldn't deny herself nature.

"You're doing so well, love," her mother cooed from her left.

Hermione removed her arm from her eyes and looked at her mother. "Thanks mum. Can I have some ice chips?"

Her mother complied and handed Hermione a cup full of ice chips. Hermione tilted the cup and let a few slide into her mouth. She chomped on them to hopefully distract her from the pain. She was relieved that the pain ebbed away for the time being. She let her head loll back on her pillow. She was getting there.

_(Hours later)_

"We're going to move you to the bathroom. You still want to deliver in the tub, correct?" healer Brennan asked.

Hermione nodded.

They helped her waddle to the bathroom and let her gently sink into the warm water of the bath.

"You should be able to push in just a few minutes, okay?" Healer Brennan said in her kind voice.

Hermione nodded again not sure if she could speak. She was nervous, scared, and excited all rolled into one. Her daughter would finally be here. And she couldn't wait.

Hermione rested her back against the wall of the tub. Another contraction hit and all she wanted to do was push.

"Hermione, I know you want to push, but just a few minutes," Healer Brennan said.

"Okay," Hermione answered breathlessly.

The "few minutes" felt like an eternity to Hermione. Healer Brennan sunk to her knees by Hermione's head and smiled at her.

"Okay, Hermione, I'm going to get in with you and then you can push."

Hermione lazily nodded her head. Healer Brennan got of f the floor and got into the tub carefully. Hermione watched her the whole time.

"Just open your legs for me. Okay good. Now, when you feel a contraction, push."

Hermione braced her right arm on the edge of the tub. She could feel a contraction and was soon pushing. She wanted to laugh at the thought that the contractions were the worst part, no, _this_ - pushing - was the worst. Hermione felt tears well up in her eyes.

"Stop pushing, Hermione."

Hermione obeyed and let herself relax. She was panting and felt tired already, but she could feel another contraction coming on. She braced herself for another one and pushed as it hit her. Hermione grunted as she did.

"Keep pushing, Hermione. You're doing so well."

"It doesn't feel that way," he grunted.

Healer Brennan laughed. "I know it doesn't, but I promise you you're making progress."

Hermione tried to smile, but all she could was grimace. After the contraction was over, she slumped back into the water. She breathed heavily and shut her eyes.

"Stay with me, Hermione. Not much more. I promise."

Hermione opened her brown eyes and looked at Healer Brennan. The woman was smiling at her. She was like her own personal cheerleader. Since her mum and dad couldn't come into the bathroom with her - it is rather small - she was glad she had someone.

Another contraction was on its way and Hermione braced herself to push. She gave it her all. She could hear Healer Brennan's choruses of 'goods' and 'almost theres'. Hermione slumped back against the tub again. She was just so tired and everything hurt. She just wanted this to be over.

"One good push and your daughter should be here!" Healer Brennan said enthusiastically.

That warmed Hermione's heart. Her daughter would be in her arms soon. She would be able to finally hold the little person that had been growing inside of her for over thirty weeks. She couldn't believe it.

Another contraction hit her and she pushed with all of her might. After several minutes she felt her daughter expel out of her and into the water. Healer Brennan grabbed the baby and held her in her arms as she severed the umbilical cord. The little girl let loud wails that Hermione thought were the sweetest noises she had ever had the pleasure of gracing her ears. Her daughter was finally here. She felt tears sting the back of her eyes as she let them slide down her face. She couldn't believe it.

Healer Brennan took out her wand and checked over Hermione's daughter to make sure she was okay. After the spells were concluded, she looked up and smiled at Hermione.

"She's healthy. We'll have to keep you both for a few days to make sure everything's fine, but for the most part she's fine. Would you like to hold her?"

Hermione nodded enthusiastically. Healer Brennan placed the squirming, squalling baby into her awaiting arms. Hermione cried harder. Here she was. The person she would give anything and everything to make happy. She kissed the baby's forehead.

"We'll get you both cleaned up so that we can move you back into the main room."

Hermione nodded not taking her eyes off of her daughter.

**~-O-~**

Moved back out of the bathroom and into the main room, Hermione beamed as her mum and dad made their way to them. They stopped and stood on either side of Hermione's bed. Her mother gasped and tears sprung to her eyes.

"Oh my goodness! May I?" She asked as she held her arms out.

Hermione nodded and gently handed her daughter to her mother. Jane automatically cooed over her. She looked up at Hermione. "You did so well, pumpkin."

"Yes, you did," her father agreed bending down to kiss Hermione on the forehead.

"Thank you," Hermione said still beaming.

"She's gorgeous. She has your nose and your hair color. Well, she could also have her father's hair color, but she's definitely has your nose. And my goodness, her eyes. They're gorgeous!" At that, her father moved from Hermione's bedside and walked over to Jane and his grandchild. They both peered down at her with smiles on their faces.

Hermione smiled at the sight. She loved her daughter already. She was beautiful. She had her nose, hair color (as far as she knew), her fingers, and startling grey eyes. Hermione wondered who she could have possibly got those from, but she didn't want to think about that. It was impossible. Why would _he_ have had sperm stored? She mentally shook the thought from her mind.

"What's her name?" Her father asked.

"Lyra. Lyra Elizabeth," Hermione said proudly. "Lyra means harp or harp player. It's one of my favorite instruments and of course her middle name is the same as yours mum and one of my favorite fictional characters."

Jane smiled at her daughter. She walked over and kissed her on the forehead. "It's gorgeous."

"Thank you."

Jane handed Lyra to her husband. He smiled down at the tiny infant in his arms. Hermione couldn't help but feel that everything was right. She had her daughter and her parents around her. But of course in the back of her mind she was still worried about Draco. Was he all right?

**~-O-~**

Draco's eyes fluttered open. It felt strange to breath. His chest didn't hurt, but he felt like there was some sort of pressure settling on it. He blinked a few times to remove the blurriness from his vision. He looked around the white room. It was too bright.

"You're awake," Draco heard a voice.

He looked around the room until he spotted Harry Potter sitting in a chair on the far wall of his room. He got up and walked over to his bed.

"Yeah," he croaked.

"How are you feeling?"

"Like completely shite."

Harry cracked a smile. "But you're alive."

"What happened after I got shot?"

"Well, I went back to get Ron, but he's gone. Pansy's fine. I went to check on Hermione, too, but they wouldn't let me see her. I think she was in labor."

Draco nodded. "Ron was impersed. I think I know who was in control of him."

"Who?"

Draco started to sit up.

"What are you doing?"

"Getting up, Potter. I'm not going to lay here while they're out there."

"Everything's fine. I changed the wards so that Ron can't get into Hermione's flat."

"Yes, good job, but we need to stop this while we can."

"You're hurt!"

"And I'll be fine. I'm sure I'll heal soon."

Harry looked sternly at Draco and Draco looked back at him.

"Malfoy, you know she'll kill me if I let you do this."

Draco didn't need Harry to clarify who _her_ was. He knew. "Why?"

"You know why. You have to know she cares about you? I'm not even around the two of you every day to know that. The row you two had the day before Pansy moved in with her showed me enough. You care about her, too."

"Potter, I don't have time for this," he said calmly.

"Not right now, but we'll talk about this after we're done with this case."

Draco looked at Harry once again, but agreed. He didn't even want to think about this nonetheless talk to Harry about it.

Draco swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood. His vision swam for a moment, but he shook his head and was fine.

"Where are my things?"

"Well, your shirt was bloody so they threw that away. I'll grab your pants and everything else."

After Harry grabbed the remainder of Draco's clothes and his wand, Draco walked into the bathroom to change. He transfigured his hospital gown into a t-shirt. He opened the door and told Harry he was ready.

"Here, put on the cloak."

Draco took the Invisibility cloak from Harry and put it over him. Harry walked to the door and looked out in the hallway. No one was out there. He opened it and let Draco go through first and then he followed. They made their way down the hall and out of St. Mungo's and out into Diagon Alley.

"Where are we going?" Harry muttered to Draco.

"I don't know where to start. Let's go to the Ministry first."

Harry and Draco made their way towards the Ministry. Draco hoped that the person that was controlling Ron was there. And Harry hoped that whomever he and Draco were going after would be there as well. He trusted Draco and that's all that mattered.

**~-O-~**

Hermione stared at Lyra as she slept. She really was a gorgeous baby. Her parents had left hours ago, but promised to be back in the morning. Hermione had just fed Lyra and she was now sleeping peacefully.

Hermione didn't know why she was so nervous before. She knew that she was responsible for this little girl's life, but she knew that she would be a good mother. Her parents had instilled so many good qualities within her that she felt that she would be all right in the end. She would be okay. She had made the right choice.

She looked over Lyra's features. She had finally allowed herself to wonder if Lyra could possibly be Draco's. Maybe she was only imagining things. Maybe she was secretly hoping that Lyra was his because she had grown to care about him in such a short amount of time. She found it ridiculous.

It was only a school girl crush on Draco Malfoy and that within itself was something to laugh at. She never thought that something like _that_ could happen. She doubted he felt the same way. And now to think that he could possibly be the sperm donor was positively hilarious. She really was losing it and definitely needed sleep.

Yes, sleep would make her stop thinking about Draco Malfoy being the father to her daughter. Even though her eyes were eerily similar to his, but that didn't mean anything. There were millions of wizards that could have those silver-grey eyes that her daughter sported. Yes, anyone could be Lyra's father.

But why couldn't she stop thinking about Draco? She daren't think that he would want her and want to raise (possibly) another man's baby. Hermione needed to put these errant thoughts out of her mind. She didn't know what she was thinking.

She called for a nurse so she could come get Lyra and put her in her crib for the night. She needed to sleep. That's what would fix everything. She needed sleep and she needed to see her friends. Yes, she would owl them and they would come coo over Lyra and she would forget about the future that she knew wasn't possible with Draco Malfoy.

Or so she thought.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's note: <strong>Hello! Sorry this chapter was so short. I want to save the conclusion of everything for the next chapter. I know, so sad to see it end. Only one more chapter and then the epilogue! You have all been _SO_ wonderful throughout this fic. I love you all and I'm glad you've warmed to this whole idea. But yay! Lyra was the one most people voted on, but don't worry. I have something coming up in the epilogue. Okay, tell me what you think, even rambling!


	15. Future Foe Scenarios

**Dear Child **

**Chapter Fifteen**

**Future Foe Scenarios **

* * *

><p><em>Aftermath part II<em>

Harry and Draco didn't take the lift to Department of Law Enforcement. If who Draco thought would be there was there, he wanted to make sure they didn't hear them coming. He wanted to take them by surprise. He took off the Invisibility Cloak and gave it back to Harry.

"Put that on," Draco demanded once they were inside of the stairwell.

"What? Why?"

"Because if the person who was controlling Weasley was Vivian, I don't want her to know you're with me. I just want her to think that it's just me and her."

Harry gave Draco a long look before nodding his head and complied to his orders. Once Harry swung the cloak around his body and disappeared from sight, Draco continued down the stairs with Harry in tow.

Draco felt nervous as he approached the department that he had called a second home. If his hunch was correct, then he wondered about the department now. He wondered if he could continue to work there. If Vivian was the one behind all of this, he wondered if it would feel tainted. He felt that department helped redeem him from all of the terrible things he was forced to do, but working under someone that was going around using someone else (because she was a coward) to do her bidding to kill ex-Death Eaters felt wrong.

It was like working under Voldermort again. Vivian wasn't as powerful as the dark wizard nor was she truthful about what she really after. But it didn't stop her from acting out her devious plan. It was disgusting. Did everyone have an ulterior motive? He thought after the war that people would stop with such nonsense, but he was wrong.

Draco knew that just because the war had been over for a decade didn't mean that people were accepting of others, but he knew that people were more tolerant of others. It didn't take his mother long to learn to tolerate and then finally accept that Muggle - borns and Halfbloods were just as good as Purebloods, but she did it. His father was a complete different story. He was still in Azkaban and would never change his mind about his prejudices.

But Vivian's prejudices were the opposite. She hated Death Eaters and that wasn't a big feat considering everyone that was on the Light side hated them as well, but they didn't go after them the way she did. It just proved what kind of person she was. She harbored her anger and lashed out. Something must have pushed her to do this.

Draco and an invisible Harry finally made it to the correct floor. Draco took out his wand and exhaled. He didn't know what to expect, but he was determined to be ready.

"Ready Potter?"

"Yes," Harry said quietly behind him.

Draco put his hand on the doorknob and opened it. He let Harry walk in first and then himself. He looked up at down the hall. Everyone in the vicinity was gone for the night. Draco made his way down the hall towards Vivian's office and the interrogation rooms.

Once he stood in front of the door and pushed it open. It was empty. He wasn't expecting her to be there. He didn't know if she was there in general. This was the first place he could think to check. He left the office and walked to the interrogation rooms. One by one he opened them, nothing. He turned around and looked at the area he believed Harry to occupy.

"She's not here. We'll have to go to her house next."

Draco turned on his heel and walked to the lift this time and took it to the atrium. Harry took off the cloak and stuffed it in his robes. They lift stopped and they both got off and walked towards the line of fireplaces. Before they could reach the floo, Draco and Harry heard Harry's name being called.

They turned around and saw a woman with dark hair running towards them. She stopped a few feet in front of them panting all the while.

"Harry," she panted out his name, "thank goodness you're here. I was going to owl you, but you're here."

"Yes. What's going on?" Harry asked the woman.

"Someone owled this letter to me. They told me to find you and once I did that, they wanted me to tell you to go to this address," she handed Harry the letter.

He looked it over quickly, his green eyes moving back and forth before he looked up at Demezla.

"Thank you," he said.

"What's going on, Harry?"

"I can't tell you right now, but after this is all settled, I'm sure you'll find out. But right now Draco and I have to go. Thanks."

Demezla looked as if she wanted to ask more questions, but Harry grabbed Draco by the elbow and walked quickly to an unoccupied floo.

"What does the letter say, Potter?"

"Everything we need to know. Vivian apparently owled Demezla and here we are. She gave us the address to the place she wants us to meet her. I'm sure she put a charm on it so that she couldn't see the whole thing. Anyway, we need to go."

Harry handed Draco the letter so that he could memorize the address. Draco grabbed powder and called out the address he just memorized a moment ago. He was gone in the roaring green flames. As soon as flames dissipated, Draco took out his wand and walked out of the fireplace. He was in a large den that reminded him of his own home. He wanted until Harry made it there before proceeding.

"Should we split up?" Draco asked.

"No. Let's just go."

Harry took the lead as the auror instinct in him took over. He led them around the ground floor. It was a large house, but it wasn't as large as Draco's manor. It also looked to have been abandoned for many years prior to their visit.

As they made their way down another corridor, Draco and Harry heard soft music from the room ahead of them. Draco made to charge towards the door, but Harry held him back. He turned to look at Draco.

"We don't know what to expect when we go in there. You're a good duelist, but be careful. Not only for your sake, but for her."

Draco looked into Harry's green eyes. He seemed so sure of Hermione's affections for him when he himself had no real idea. He knew that he care for the stubborn witch and he did want to live not only for himself, but for her, too. And he was also damn curious as to what she could possibly feel for him, especially since her best friend was so sure about it.

He nodded. "You be careful, too. You may have saved our arses from the darkest wizard of all time, but you have a family to live for."

Harry smiled at Draco. "If someone told me almost two decades ago that Draco Malfoy, the snottiest kid I ever met, would care enough to tell me to be careful I would have laughed until I cried. Time certainly has changed you and I both."

Draco rolled his eyes. "Don't get all sentimental on me now, Potter. This is not the time."

"You're right, Malfoy, this isn't the time for that," came a voice from behind Harry.

Draco looked up and Harry turned to look at the newcomer.

Ron was standing there with a smirk on his face and his arms crossed over his chest.

"Weasley," Draco said curtly.

"Ron, we're here to save you," Harry said calmly.

Ron let out a laugh. "As if I need your help, Harry. You may have saved the bloody world, but I don't need your help any longer. I was always seen as your sniveling sidekick. I even played second fiddle to Hermione, but not anymore. Now I'm doing this on my own. I'm helping to make the world a better place. I'm getting rid of the remainder of people who should be in jail or dead. This is my mission and I'm doing brilliantly," he smiled evilly at them.

"Ron, this isn't you. You aren't really a part of this," Harry reasoned.

Ron snorted. "Please, Harry," he scoffed. "I'm not some imbecile. I know what I was getting myself into."

"You're lying. Vivian has you under a curse. This isn't _you_."

Ron leaned against the wall. "Harry Potter always trying to save everyone and anyone he can. Not this time, Harry. I don't need saving. Not by you and especially not by _him_," Ron said pointing at Draco.

Draco scoffed. "As if I'd save you, Weasley. We don't like each other. Never have, never will."

"You're damn right. That's something we can agree upon."

"I don't care what you say Ron, I'm going to save you. I refuse to believe this is you."

"Harry Potter, the man who thinks that everyone has good in them. Maybe I was fed up with all of your bullshit? Ever think of that? Of course not. You always thought I was such a good guy. Your best friend who could do no wrong, but you're WRONG!"

The door to the room that was playing the quiet music opened and out walked Vivian clad in a dark blue suit, like the ones she usually wore.

"That's enough dearest Ronald. I think Harry and Draco get the point," she said flicking her wand with a simple flick of her wrist. Ron slumped where he stood.

"Bravo Draco! I suspect you were the one that figured out it was me all along, am I right?" Vivian said as she leaned against the doorframe.

"You're correct. Why?"

"I think you know why Draco. I think Mr. Weasley said everything that needs to be said."

"Why Ron?" Harry asked.

"Why not Ron? It was perfect. He was the one that anyone would least expect. And even if someone did catch him, they'd think that the least recognizable of the Golden Trio went nutters. It was the perfect plan, but of course I should have suspected that Draco would figure this all out."

"I admit, it did give me some trouble, but once I heard Ron speak I knew it was you. He could never speak so eloquently."

Vivian gave him her pearly white smile. "Of course not. I knew I should have dumbed down my vocabulary."

"Your mistake."

"Indeed, but the thing is, is that you didn't account for something else."

"Oh?"

Vivian gave him another one of her smiles. "Rabastan, would you come out here please," Vivian said in a sweet voice.

Draco felt his jaw drop. A stocky man walked out of the ballroom and stood next to Vivian. Draco had only seen pictures of his uncle. Last he knew he was rotting away in Azkaban.

"What is he doing here?" Draco asked through clenched teeth.

Vivian rolled her eyes. "Really? For such a clever man, I would think you would know. I sprung him and here we are."

"Why?"

Rabastan laughed. "Because I told her I could help her kill the blood-traitors that deserved to rot as much as I did."

"I used to work in Azkaban before I got my cushy little job in the Ministry. See what happens when you work your way up?"

"You become a criminal," Draco supplied.

"I would watch your tongue, boy," Rabstan said.

"Why did you agree to this uncle?" Draco asked.

"Because of you, you sniveling brat. I knew once you were old enough to take the Mark that you wouldn't. You never had the guts. Your mum and dad kept you spoiled and pampered. They never let you do anything. They filled your head with the right things, but they never let you go around and torture house elves or other children your own age. You never had it in you. And I thought to myself if I could get out of that cell then I'd show you and the rest of them a lesson. With the help of Vivian, I got my chance."

"But you didn't do any of the killing you bastard! You let Vivian imperuse Weasley and let him do your dirty work."

"I never said that _I_ would do it personally. When Vivian came up with the plan to use him, I couldn't pass up the opportunity."

"You disgust me!"

"And you disgust me you blood traitor!" Rabastan bellowed.

"Looks like we're at an impasse."

"That's where you're wrong. Only one of us can leave this house."

"You're right and it won't be you. I'm putting you back in jail or worse."

"You couldn't even kill Dumbledore. What makes you think you can kill me?"

"Because I have nothing to lose. You committed crimes and I can't let that go, family or not."

"Look who grew up and became self-righteous."

"Speak for yourself, uncle," Draco said drawing his wand. He lifted it and pointed it at the pair in front of him.

"Tsk tsk, I wouldn't do that if I were you, Draco," Vivian butted in.

"And why's that?"

She flicked her wand again and Ron lifted his head. He reached into his robes and took out his wand.

"And you think that using him as a human shield will stop me from taking you two down? Not likely."

"Not you, but Potter. Potter wouldn't let you harm one ginger lock on his best friend's head. Isn't that right Potter?" Rabastan asked.

Harry didn't answer, but simply glared at the man. Rabastan smiled.

"I do believe we struck a nerve."

Draco had enough talking, he fire three spells in rapid succession. Vivian - using Ron - blocked them with a little difficulty.

"You'll have to try better than that, Draco."

Draco fire more spells, faster than before. Ron blocked some of them, but Vivian and Rabastan had to dodge some of the others.

"Potter, don't fucking stand there. Help me!" Draco said through clenched teeth as he blocked a few spells that Vivian-Ron fired at him.

Harry seemed to come out of his stupor and started firing spells at the group in front of him. He made sure he didn't hit Ron. It was hard not to, but he managed.

The group went on dodging, firing spells, and blocking them. Draco looked sideways at Potter. He saw his brow furrowed with concentration.

"Potter!" Draco yelled over the noise of the spells bouncing off the hallway.

Harry grunted in response.

"Stun Ron."

"What?"

"Stun him! If we can get him out of the way, we can get the other two. My uncle isn't much of a duelist and we can get him first, but we need to get Ron out of the way. That way they can't hide behind him anymore and he won't be in danger. Do it!"

"Okay," said Harry pointing his wand at Ron and sending a red streak of color at Ron's chest. He grunted and fell to the ground.

Draco smiled and charged after his uncle. Rabastan wheeled around and ran off with Draco on his tail.

"Give it up uncle! You know I'm the better duelist of the two of us. I'll surely win!"

Rabastan fired hexes blindly behind him. Draco blocked and dodged them easily. They turned around corner, a dead end. Rabastan panicked.

He turned around with his back to the wall and watched in horror as Draco approached him.

"D-draco," he stammered.

"And what is it that you said? Oh, that I didn't have it in me? I agree. I didn't have the guts to be a Death Eater, but I have the guts to do my job now. I take in scum like you and make sure you go away for a long time and that's exactly what I'm going to do now; my job."

Draco lifted his wand. "_Expelliarmus_!" Draco said catching his uncle's wand. "_Incarcerous_!" Ropes bound themselves around the man. Draco pointed his wand at him one last time and levitated the man. He walked back the way he came to go back to Harry and Vivian.

_(After Draco left)_

Harry looked at Vivian and she looked at him.

"I suppose it's just you and me then," she said sweetly.

"It looks that way."

They started circling around the hallway, wands at the ready.

"I never would have pegged you to do something like this," Harry said.

Vivian laughed. "No one would. That's the beauty of it. Most people would congratulate me on ridding the world of these people."

"Of course they would, but that's the thing about right and wrong, people take it into their own hands. They use their own morals to think of what's right and wrong."

"And isn't that what the world does? It uses other people's opinions on right and wrong to convict or reward them as they see fit. I'm doing the same thing."

"And Voldermort did the same thing and we saw where that got him."

Vivian smiled. "Yes, but I'm not him," Vivian fired a spell, but Harry blocked it easily and fired one back.

Vivian dodged out of the way. She grabbed an unconscious Ron and held up him.

"Now listen to me, Potter, I'm going to get out of here or I'll AK your friend here. He has served me well, but I don't need him any longer." Vivian pointed her wand at Ron's throat.

Harry started putting his wand down when he saw Draco make his way around the corner. He lowered his uncle and stunned Vivian. She dropped to the floor as well as Ron. Harry rushed over to Ron as Draco walked towards Vivian. He kneeled down and bound her with ropes as he did his uncle. Draco picked up Vivian's wand and put it in his robes.

Harry was kneeling next to Ron. "_Rennervate_!" Ron's eyes fluttered open. They widened when he saw Harry kneeling next to him.

"H-harry?"

"Yeah?"

"What happened?"

"I'll explain later. For now, we need to get Vivian and Rabastan put away and you to St. Mungo's. And us as well. I need to go check on Gin and James and also Hermione and her baby."

Harry sent his patronus out to Kinglsey. He arrived moments later via floo. Harry told him the abridged version of what happened. He told Harry that he'd personally take them to Azkaban to await a trial. Harry, Draco, and Ron headed back to the hospital to visit their friends and family.

**~-O-~**

Hermione was sitting in the rocking chair next to the window when she got her first visitor. There was a knock at the door. She called for the person to come in. Harry stuck his head in the crack of the door before he opened it wider and wheeled Ginny and James in. Hermione beamed at her two friends.

"Congrats!" Ginny said with a smile on her face.

"Thank you!"

"What's her name?" Harry asked pushing Ginny's wheelchair over to Hermione.

"Lyra Elizabeth," Hermione beamed.

"Such a beautiful name," Ginny squealed.

"Thank you. Would you like to hold her?"

"Of course!"

Hermione handed her daughter off to Harry who looked down at the little girl sleeping in his arms. He looked up at Hermione. "She's gorgeous."

"I know! Thank you!"

Ginny held out James and Hermione gladly took him from her. She smiled down at the little boy.

"I can't believe they were born a day apart."

"Me either."

"I was right. They'll be the best of friends," Ginny said as she accepted Lyra from Harry.

"I hope so."

Lyra made a tiny noise. Ginny stroked her rounded cheeks. Lyra must have opened her eyes because Ginny gave a gasp.

"Those are something," Ginny said looking up and looking at Hermione.

Hermione shrugged. "Don't give me that look, Ginerva."

"What look?"

"You know _what_ look. "

"I don't know what you mean."

"Right."

Ginny stuck out her tongue and continued to coo over Lyra.

"Oh, Hermione, the case is solved. It was Vivian she imperused Ron. And Draco's uncle Rabastan was also in it. We'll fill you in more later."

"How's Ron?"

"He's fine. He's just getting checked. He'll probably come visit tomorrow."

Hermione smiled. "Good."

"And speaking of Draco, he wants to see you."

Hermione's heart jack hammered.

"He does?"

Harry nodded. "He's right outside. Do you want him to come in?"

Hermione bit her lip. She looked from Ginny's hopeful face to Harry's impassive one. "Sure."

"All right. Gin and I will visit again later."

They switched the babies and kissed and hugged her goodbye.

Once they were gone, there was another knock at the door. Hermione cleared her throat and told him to enter. He hesitantly opened the door and walked in. He closed the door, but didn't move any further.

"You can come closer. Bring a chair with you."

He turned and drug the nearest chair towards her. He was a few feet away before he deemed it an acceptable distance. He sat down and looked from Hermione to the bundle in her hands.

"I heard you and Harry solved the case."

"We did."

Hermione already knew this was going to be like pulling teeth.

"That's good."

"How are you?"

"I'm really good."

"What's the baby's name?"

"Lyra Elizabeth."

Draco nodded.

"Would you like to hold her?"

A flash of horror passed over Draco's face. "Um...no."

Hermione smiled at him. "That's fine."

"So, I wanted to talk."

"I'm listening," Hermione said with another smile. Her heart was beating rapidly.

Draco didn't say anything for a few minutes. He finally looked at her. "This is hard for me to say. I've not good at this. Anyway, Potter had some silly notion that you...care about me. Is-is it true?"

Hermione was shocked for a moment. She looked at his face, but he wasn't looking at her. She moved her eyes over Lyra's little face and then out the window. Hermione sighed.

"I think I do."

Draco looked up at her profile. "I think I care about you, too."

Hermione's eyes drifted back to Draco's face. She was surprised that he was looking at her. She noticed his silver-grey eyes were warm, almost molten-like. She never saw his eyes quite like this before. They made her feel a warmth bloom in her chest.

"What do we do now?"

"I want to be a part of your life as well as Lyra's. I know you two come as a package and I wouldn't ever dream of not wanting you both."

"Why would you want us though?"

"I've known you since we were eleven years old, but getting to know you now, really getting to know you, I've realized what I had missed out on."

Hermione laughed. "Hardly. I haven't changed much, Draco."

"You have and so have I. We're not the same two people who hated each other. I've seen past my prejudices and I see you as I should have all those years ago. I want to try this, Hermione."

"But why? I have Lyra now."

"Granger, I don't care. I want the both of you. I realized I cared for the both of you when you wanted to take Pansy in. I knew."

Hermione smiled. "I think I knew then, too. Maybe before then, but I think when we were arguing in my office is when I finally realized."

Draco smiled at her.

Lyra started fussing. Hermione kissed her forehead and started rocking her. "I think you need to be changed, little one," Hermione said to her daughter.

She turned towards Draco. "Hold her while I grab a diaper. It'll only be for a moment."

The horror that Hermione saw earlier made a re-appearance. "Don't look so scared. You said you wanted both of us, so why not start now?"

Hermione stood up slowly and walked the few feet that distanced the adults before. She bent down.

"Cradle your arms like I am. Make sure you support her head," Hermione handed Draco Lyra. "It'll only be for a moment."

Draco nodded. His posture was stiff and uncertain. Hermione smiled and walked over to the table that had all of Lyra's things.

Draco looked down at the squirming infant in his arms. He could see the features she got from Hermione, her nose and hair color. She was a cute baby, he had to admit. When Lyra opened her eyes and looked up at Draco he almost lost his breath. Her eyes.

Her eyes were a brilliant silver-grey, just like his. Impossible! He couldn't move his gaze from the baby.

When Hermione made her way back over to the pair, she stopped and looked at them. Lyra was still squirming, but she was looking up at Draco nonetheless and Draco was looking down at her. She wondered if he thought the same thing she did, but she doubted it. It couldn't be possible.

"Draco?"

He snapped his gaze from the baby to Hermione.

"I'll take her now."

He almost seemed reluctant to give her up, but he relinquished the baby. Hermione took her over to the bed and changed her. She swathed her back in her blankets and sat down in the chair she vacated moments ago.

"What's wrong, Draco?"

"S-she..." he trailed off.

"What?"

"She has my eyes."

"What! But you never gave sperm."

Draco looked at her. "I did. It was years ago when I was twenty. I needed money. It was before my father's trial and I couldn't have my inheritance until I knew the verdict. I didn't think they'd use it. I told them not to, but...her eyes. That can't be a coincidence. "

"You need to take a DNA test. That's how we'll know," she said looking at him.

He nodded.

Hermione called for a nurse. She asked her the soonest they could take one and the nurse informed her they could right then and there. She just needed a hair from Draco and one from Lyra. Draco plucked one from his head and they cut one from Lyra's head. The nurse murmured the spell as she held both hairs together. They glowed a faint blue before turning yellow.

Hermione held her breath. The thing that she had been wondering about since Lyra opened her eyes was finally about to be revealed. She could see Draco holding his as well.

The nurse looked at the pair and gave them a smile.

"Congratulations Mr. Malfoy, you're Lyra's father."

Hermione let out her breath in a whoosh the same time Draco did. The nurse left after that.

Draco turned to look at Hermione. He had a small smile on his face. Hermione smiled back.

"She's mine."

"She is," Hermione said quietly.

He got out of his chair. He kneeled beside her chair. He kissed Lyra's forehead and then looked back up at Hermione.

"We're a family."

"It the most unconventional of ways."

He cracked a smile. "Yes, but what would you expect from us? We hated each other and now we care about each other and have a child."

Hermione giggled. "Who would have thought."

"Not me."

"Me either."

They smiled goofily at each other before Draco leaned in and kissed Hermione tenderly on the lips. She felt a jolt of electricity surge through her as did Draco. When they pulled back, they looked at each other in the eye - brown to grey - and they knew.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's note: <strong>Omg! I wrote this all in one sitting. You wanted a long ending chapter and here it is! Everything all cleared up! Don't worry there's the epilogue that is coming up I'm sure in a few days. But I am exhausted and going to bed. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Tell me what you think! xx

Reuploaded for those who couldn't see it. Hope it's fixed now.


	16. O Children

**Dear Child**

**Chapter 16**

**O Children**

* * *

><p><em>Epilogue<em>

One year later

Lyra was toddling around the living on her chubby little legs. Hermione was sitting on the couch reading, but keeping an eye on her. Every since she learned to move - be it crawling and now walking - she hadn't stopped. Hermione looked at her daughter. Her dark, curly brown hair, that looked a lot more manageable than her own, and striking grey eyes made her beautiful.

Hermione heard the floo activate and knew that it was Draco. Ever since Lyra was born he had come to visit her. He had really taken to the little girl. Hermione was surprised and pleased. Even if he didn't want to be in Lyra's life, she was ready to take care of her herself, but she was happy that he wanted to be there for her. Not only for herself, but for Lyra. Who happened to be a daddy's girl, much to Hermione's chagrin.

Draco stepped out of the fireplace and brushed himself off. He looked up at Hermione and gave her a smile. His eyes scanned the room and found Lyra walking towards him. He bent down and held his arms out to her. She giggled and walked right into them. He laughed and scooped her up. He kissed her chubby cheek and walked over to the couch to sit next to Hermione.

"Hello," he said to Hermione.

"Hello," she greeted before leaning in to kiss him.

It still felt strange to kiss Draco Malfoy. Their first kiss was just that, strange.

**XxX**

_Hermione came back into the living room and flopped down on the couch. She was exhausted. Lyra fought her the whole time she tried to put her to sleep. Hermione closed her eyes letting her aching head and tired eyes rest. _

_"Tired are you?" She heard him ask._

_She cracked an eye open. "Of course I am, Draco. Waking up to a screaming baby every few hours would make anyone tired."_

_"I told you I'd stay to help you, but no, Independent-Hermione-Granger strikes again."_

_"Well, I can't rely on you all the time. I have to learn to do things on my own, too," she said closing her eyes again._

_She heard him move from the chair and walk over to her. He sat down next to her on the couch._

_"Granger, look at me."_

_She sighed and opened her eyes. His silver-grey eyes were glinting in the dim light in the room. His facial expression was serious. _

_"I'm telling you right now. I'm not one to skive off my responsibilities. I _want _to be here, Granger, for you and especially for Lyra. I'm _here_."_

_Hermione was taken aback by his words. She knew that he accepted his role, but she wasn't expecting _this_. _

_"Okay," she said simply because that's all she could say at the moment._

_The next thing she knew was that Draco's lips were on hers. She was stunned for a few seconds before she kissed him back. It felt right. Hermione pulled back a moment later._

_"I wasn't lying when I told you two weeks ago that I wanted the both of you," Draco told her earnestly._

_"I know, but it's just...a lot to take in."_

_"I know, but I just wanted you to know."_

_"Thank you."_

_And he kissed her again._

**XxX**

After the day they kissed, Hermione and Draco had been taking everything slowly. It was strange to already have a child together and to be taking a relationship slowly, but it was what they wanted, each other; a family.

Hermione watched the two of them play together. It really was a sight to behold. Draco Malfoy laying on his belly on the floor playing with a 13 month old. And the good thing was that Hermione already had tons of pictures of this occurrence. No one would ever believe her without proof.

Draco looked up at her with that twinkle in his eye that Hermione associated with the happiness only Lyra and she could give him. It made her want to melt and that was something Hermione Granger didn't do often. But something about Draco Malfoy made her feel that way.

This was their routine now. Draco would come over to Hermione's flat after work, spend time with Lyra, have dinner, put Lyra to bed, and spend the rest of the night with Hermione. Sometimes Hermione and Lyra would go over to the Manor to spend time with Draco and Narcissa.

Hermione would often work from home and when she did go in she would leave Lyra with either her parents, Ginny, or Narcissa. Hermione never thought much about the woman before she found out that Lyra was Draco's. She steered clear of the woman, but now they were on friendly terms.

She knew that Narcissa didn't harbor the prejudices she often did before the war, but Hermione was still leery of the woman. She was great with Lyra. She had cooed over her the first time they met.

**XxX**

_"Granger, it'll be fine. I told you my mother's changed. She isn't the same woman you met when you were a girl. And the Manor isn't the same place that..." ,he cleared his throat, "it's not the same place. Don't worry."_

_He took Lyra from her and proceeded into the house. Hermione looked around, her eyes taking in every detail of the large house. She hadn't been in the Manor since she was tortured by Bellatrix when she was seventeen. It didn't mean that she hadn't thought about it since then however. _

_Hermione followed Draco into the den where Narcissa Malfoy sat with her back ramrod straight and hands clasped on her lap. Hermione gulped. Draco took her hand in his and gave it a squeeze._

_"Mother."_

_She smiled warmly at her son. Her blue looks darted over to the bundle in his arms._

_"Hello Draco and Miss Granger."_

_"Hermione. You can call me...Hermione," she said lamely._

_"Very well, Hermione. How are you?"_

_"Well, thank you. And you Mrs. Malfoy?"_

_"Call me Narcissa. It's only fair. And I'm doing quite well."_

_Draco sat on the couch next to his mother and Hermione sat in a chair nearby the Malfoys. _

_"This is Lyra," Draco said proudly as he looked down at the infant. _

_Narcissa looked at the baby in Draco's arms. "May I hold her?" She asked looking at her son and then Hermione. Hermione nodded and Draco carefully handed the infant over._

_Narcissa cradled Lyra to her. She peered down at her, a smile slowly spread across her face. _

_"She's beautiful," Narcissa said not looking up from her granddaughter's face._

_"Thank you," Hermione said quickly._

_"She has the Malfoy trademark eyes, but she mostly looks like you Hermione."_

_Hermione smiled. _

_"I think I may love her already," Narcissa said._

_And that was the day that Hermione learned to relax around Narcissa Malfoy._

_**XxX**  
><em>

Draco put Lyra down for the night and walked out into the living room where Hermione was finishing up her work. True to her word she transferred to the Department of the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. It was a lot better for her really.

"Put that away," Draco said as he sat down next to her.

"One second. I just want to finish this. Almost done!"

Draco rolled his eyes and leaned back against the couch.

Hermione sighed the document with a flourish and set it aside. "See, all done."

"Thank Merlin," he said as he grabbed her and kissed her.

"Is that all you wanted?"

"No, I wanted to spend time with you. I don't just want to snog you all the time, Granger."

She smirked, one that would rival his own. "Really? I don't buy that for a second."

"I don't just think with my cock you know."

"Then what else do you think with?"

"My heart."

"That's extremely cheesy."

Draco put a hand on his heart. "Granger, that offends me."

Hermione snorted. "Oh, I'm _so_ sorry Draco."

"You should be. I don't know why I love you when you've been nothing but mean."

Hermione's eyes widened. She didn't hear what she thought she did, did she? She knew that she cared a great deal for Draco and she often though that she may even love the blond, but she didn't think he would be the first to say something like that.

"E-excuse me?"

"Yes, you heard correctly. I love you, Granger."

Hermione's jaw dropped.

"Close your mouth, Granger."

"Sorry. I just...I just thought I would be the first to say it."

"Surprise, surprise. So you do feel the same then?"

She nodded. "Y-yes. I love you, Draco."

He smiled that smile that she loved. It warmed her heart even more than his words.

"Would you look at that, Hermione Granger loves me."

She rolled her eyes. "I think it would be more unbelievable if people knew you loved me."

"And they will know."

"What?"

He smirked at her before pressing his lips to hers.

**~-O-~**

Five years later

(Lyra & James age six)

"Lyra! James! Get in here!" Hermione called through the house.

Moments later, the sound of tiny feet could be heard racing through the house at breakneck speed.

"Wash your hands you two," Ginny told them.

Lyra and James both sighed before walking over to the sink to wash.

"I swear those two are almost like twins," Ginny said.

"Well what do you expect? They were born only a day a part and they've been inseparable ever since."

Ginny smiled at the two children when they made their way over to the table. James, who looked so much like his father, but with Ginny's eyes, and Lyra, who looked like Hermione, but with Draco's eyes, were both adorable children.

"Where are Draco and Harry? You would think they would behave better than the children," Ginny complained.

"How can they when they're like children themselves. I'll go see where they are."

Hermione got up and strode quickly to the foyer and outside. She saw the two of them still on brooms. She sighed. She should have known. Hermione took out her wand and shot red sparks into the air.

She saw the men turn and start to land. They walked over to her.

"Well thank you for finally joining up. Dinner is ready. Your children are waiting," she said in her usual lecture voice.

Harry and Draco groaned. "Sorry," they both said.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Just go inside. Wash your hands before you sit!"

They groaned again as they headed inside, Hermione on their trail.

She couldn't help but smile. They had been doing these dinners since Hermione and Draco got together. It was a sort of olive branch between them. Sure Harry and Draco were fine with the other, but Hermione was hoping they could be friends. And she supposed she succeeded. She remembered their first dinner.

**XxX**

Three years earlier

_"So tell me why we're doing this again?" Draco asked Hermione for the third time that day._

_"Because I want Lyra and James to be friends and it wouldn't hurt if Harry, Ginny, and Ron got to know you better and vice versa. It will be fine," she said before standing on her tiptoes to kiss her._

_Once she pulled away he sighed. "Fine, but I'm not making any promises."_

_"Draco...you solved a case with Harry only a month ago. I think you're past this already."_

_He scoffed. "Granger, just because I worked with the bloke doesn't make us the best of friends. As much as you would love that, it's not happening."_

_She patted his cheek. "I love you, okay? Just don't be mean."_

_He grabbed her palm and kissed it. "I know. Easier said than done."_

_"Not if you just try."_

_"Fine. The shit I do for you, Granger."_

_She couldn't help but shake her head and laugh._

_Harry, Ginny, and Ron arrived moments later. Hermione greeted them all. She took James from Ginny and sat down with him. The two women cooed over the baby while Ron, Harry, and Draco stood in one spot several paces apart._

_Harry turned to look at Draco. "Hello to you, too, Draco."_

_"Hello, Potter, Weasley."_

_Ron inclined his head to Draco. Draco had been a bit leery around Ron after the whole incident. He knew it wasn't his fault, but he couldn't be too sure. He was an ex-Death Eater for one and if Ron was weak enough to get impersed then he wasn't going to take that chance again._

_"Draco," Hermione called from across the room._

_He looked up from his staring match between the two men in front of him. "Yes?"_

_"Can you grab Lyra. I'm sure she's up from her nap by now."_

_He nodded and stiffly walked out of the room and up to their daughter's room. She was indeed up as she was squirming in her crib._

_"Well hello there," he said reaching down into the crib to pick her up. He kissed her cheek. "Your Aunt Ginny and Uncles Harry and Ron are here. Believe me, I don't want them here as much as you, but nothing I can do about that. But mummy insists that daddy be friends with them. I don't mind your Aunt Ginny, she isn't so bad, but the other two. And please don't fall for James. I would be heartbroken and disgusted."_

_Draco turned around when he heard a giggle. Hermione was standing in the doorway with a smile on her face. _

_"I only came because I thought you were having trouble with her nappy again, but lo and behold you're in here pumping her little head with slander."_

_Draco smiled. "That was only _one_ time. I've been proficient ever since. And it isn't slander. It's the truth. You'll see."_

_Hermione shook her head. "Oh hush. Come on then."_

_They both walked out of the nursery and back into the den. _

_The night passed without incident, which pleased Hermione. The men were quite civil to one another and that's all Hermione could ask for at the moment._

_Once the guests were gone and Lyra was in bed, Hermione hugged Draco. He hesitantly hugged her back._

_"Thank you," she said, her voice muffled by his shirt._

_"For?"_

_"For being polite."_

_"You owe me."_

_She moved her head from his chest. "And what do I owe you?"_

_"Marry me," he said seriously._

_Hermione moved farther from him. "What?"_

_"You heard me. This isn't how I planned to ask you, but during the night I thought about it. I want _all _of this, you, Lyra, and even your friends. I want a life with you."_

_Hermione smiled up at him. The most brilliant smile Draco had ever seen. "Yes Draco Malfoy, I will marry you."_

_**XxX**  
><em>

"Where's Ron?" Harry asked once they were all seated around the table.

"Oh, I think he said that he was taking Demezla on a date. I think it's _the_ date," Ginny said emphasizing the the.

"Really? He's finally got his s-h-i-t together and going to finally ask the woman? Took him long enough," Draco said.

"Draco! Don't spell words like that. And we all know that they have been through a lot. With the whole thing with Ron being involved in the case and it's been up and down since then," Hermione said.

They all did know how up and Ron and Demezla's relationship had been over the years. They had been engaged before, but it was called off because Demezla still had issues with him. Hermione and the others still didn't understand why they tried, but if that's what Ron wanted then there was no talking him out of it.

"Mummy? Can James and I have cake?" Lyra asked.

"Did you both finish your veggies?"

The two nodded enthusiastically.

"All right. If your daddy or Aunt Ginny or Uncle Harry will cut you a _small_ piece, then yes."

"But Aunt Mione," James whined.

"James, don't complain," Ginny admonished.

He crossed his arms over his chest still displeased that they were only allowed a tiny piece.

Draco laughed and ruffled his already chaotic hair. "Stop pouting, James. You've had sweets all day."

"I know, but I want more cake."

"At least we're getting some anyway," Lyra said.

"You're very right, Lyra," Harry said smiling at the child. She smiled back.

"Fine," James finally conceded.

The adults laughed at James. He was a huge sweet eater like his parents.

Hermione heard a "mama" from the next room. Hermione stood from the table and walked into the next room where her two-year-old son was in his playpen. His little arms lifted when he saw Hermione.

"Mum," he squealed.

"Hello there Sam. Have a good nap, baby?" Hermione asked as she picked him up.

"No," he giggled.

Hermione kissed her two-year-old son on his cheek. "I love you, Sam."

"Luv yew."

She smiled at him and carried him into the kitchen where the others were. As soon as Samuel saw Draco his arms lifted automatically.

Draco smiled and reached for his son. He took him from Hermione and tossed him in the air. "Hello son."

Hermione shook her head. She loved her family.

Samuel loved his father so much it was ridiculous. They looked so much alike, the only difference was his dirty blond hair and his beautiful brown eyes. She couldn't help but smile as she watched Draco and her friends interact with the children. It made her think about when she told Draco she was pregnant.

**XxX**

_Hermione looked herself over in the mirror. She looked beautiful. Her mother and Narcissa did a good job on her make-up and hair. She almost couldn't recognize herself. She turned away from the mirror and looked at the two women; her mother and her soon-to-be-mother-in-law._

_"Thank you both so much," Hermione said sincerely._

_"Don't thank us, Hermione. This is your day and you look perfect. Now, time to put on your dress."_

_Hermione smiled. It was her wedding day and it had been perfect thus far. She couldn't believe it. _

_Narcissa walked over with her dress. It was tea-length. It went down to her knees. She didn't want anything too overzealous and this dress was anything but. It was cream with lace from the neckline to the back of the dress. The waist was high and had an emerald green sash around the waist to give the dress some color. She wore satin cream shoes that had lace embellishments. She looked beautiful. _

_Her mother started crying already. Narcissa patted the woman on the back. _

_"Oh, mum. It's all right," Hermione said hugging her. "You know I'll start crying as well."_

_"I know, I know. You just look so beautiful."_

_Hermione smiled and kissed her on the forehead._

_There was a knock on the door. Narcissa walked over to open it. Hermione's father walked in._

_"Oh my Hermione, you look beautiful."_

_She beamed at him. "Thank you, dad."_

_He walked to her and engulfed her in his arms. "I love you and you'll always be my little girl."_

_"I know, dad. I love you, too."_

_He smiled again. "Ready?"_

_"As I'll ever be."_

_Narcissa and Jane walked out before them. Hermione gripped her father's arm as they made their way down the hallway and outside. She watched as her bridesmaids walked down the aisle. She could see Draco standing there and her heart started pumping erratically. She wanted to run to now._

_Once the music start, Hermione stood straighter and walked with her chin held high as her father led her down the aisle. Everyone was beaming at her as she passed them. When they finally reached Draco, a smile was plastered on his face. The butterflies in her stomach went crazy. _

_The stood at the altar as McGonagall presided over them. It was a lovely ceremony. Hermione cried a few times. She just couldn't believe it. Everything really was perfect. Once McGonagall told them that Draco could kiss the bride, Hermione launched herself at him. The kiss was chaste, but passionate. _

_They did it. They were married._

_They made their way back down the aisle, smiling like crazy. Hermione blew a kiss to Lyra in Pansy's arms as they continued to walk._

_Once they made it back inside with the doors shut behind them. Draco turned to Hermione and kissed her again. This time the kiss was all passion, nothing chaste about it. Hermione reluctantly pulled away after a moment. She was out of breath._

_"Draco, I have something to tell you."_

_He smiled and caressed her cheek. "What is it?"_

_"I'm p-pregnant."_

_He continued to caress her cheek, but his eyes were large with shock._

_"What? How far are you?"_

_"About four weeks."_

_"What? When did you find out?"_

_"A few days ago. I didn't want to tell you until now."_

_A smile slide across his features. "I can't believe it," he said quietly. "I love you."_

_"I love you, too, Draco."_

_They kissed again._

_**XxX**  
><em>

As they cleaned up that night, Hermione reflected on their lives thus far. Of course everything in their lives hadn't been perfect. They still argued about things, they still didn't see eye-to-eye on a lot of things, but that's what couples did. They argued; they got mad. And Draco and Hermione weren't any exception to the rule.

Once the kids were in bed, Hermione laid across their bed and closed her eyes. She felt the bed dip as Draco made his way over to her. She felt his hands rub her back before he started massaging it.

"That feels amazing."

"Of course it does," he chuckled.

Hermione groaned as he worked on her tense back.

"You know what I was thinking about?" Draco asked, breaking the quiet.

"Hmm?" Hermione hummed.

"Expanding our family."

Hermione's eyes opened. "Oh? Why's that?"

"I think Sam needs a little brother or sister."

Hermione laughed. "Oh yeah?"

"Yes. I thought we agreed that we don't want our child to be an only child."

"And she isn't. She has Sam now."

"Well, Sam needs to be a big brother."

"Is this going to be your argument for now on?"

He laughed. "Maybe. I think four would be fine."

"_Four_?"

"Yeah. We could handle that."

Hermione turned over on her back and sat up. "Well, I am pleased to tell you that you may get your wish."

"What?"

"I'm pregnant again. I just found out earlier today."

Draco launched himself at her. He kissed her soundly. "Really?"

"Yes Draco. Why would I lie about something like this?"

"I know you wouldn't, but wow."

"I know. I was shocked, too. We weren't even really trying. You have powerful swimmers there."

"What can I say, I have wonderful breeding."

"Sure. So you're really okay with this?"

"Yes, Granger. I'm more than happy with this."

She smiled at him before they kissed.

"I love you," he said between kisses.

"And I love you."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's note: <strong>Hello! Sorry this took so long. I have been busy with school. Well it is over. Can't believe it. Thank you all for sticking with me through this whole thing. You've all been lovely and amazing! I couldn't ask for better readers. I love you all!

Things that are coming up, I have to finish the Dramione fic I started before this one and I'm working on another one. Always busy. Well, I hope you stick around for more. And thank you all again!


End file.
